BX 

1 88a 



7 / ' ) 

AN EXAMINATION INTO AND AN ELUCIDATION OF THE 
GREAT PRINCIPLE OF THE 

MEDIATION AND ATONEMENT 

OF 

Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. 



By PRESIDENT JOHN TAYLOR. 

11 



"Wherefore the fruit of thy loins shall write, and the fruit of the loins 
of Judah shall write; and that which shall be written by the fruit of thy loins, 
and also that which shall be written by the fruit of the loins of Judah, shall 
grow together unto the confounding of false doctrines, and laying down of con- 
tentions." — Gen., 1, 31, Inspired Translation. 

"For I command all men, both in the east and in the west, and in the 
north and in the south, and in the islands of the sea, that they shall write the words 
which I speak unto them: for out of the books which shall be written, I will 
judge the world, every man according to their works, according that which is 
written. For behold, I shall speak unto the Jews, and they shall write it; and 
1 shall also speak unto the Nephites, and they shall write it; and I shall also 
speak unto the other tribes of the house of Israel, which I have led away, and 
they shall write it; and I shall also speak unto all nations of the earth, and 
they shall write it. And it shall come to pass that the Jews shall have the 
words of the Nephites, and the Nephites shall have the words of the Jews; and 
the Nephites and the Jews shall have the words of the lost tribes of Israel; and 
the lost tribes of Israel shall have the words of the Nephites and the Jews. 
And it shall come to pass that my people which are of the house of Israel, 
shall be gathered home unto the lands of their possessions; and my word also 
shall be gathered in one." — 2 Nephi, xxix, 11 — 14. 



SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH. 
Deseret News Company, Printers and Publishers. 



1882. 



otrr 

BERTRAM SMITH 
OCT 9 1933 



CONTENTS. 



CHAPTER I. 

Introductory — Christ's Testimony with regard to His Sufferings— Christ 

came to do the Will of His Father — The Testimony of the Father 

at His Baptism and Transfiguration. 7 

CHAPTER II. 

The Testimony of Jesus the Spirit of Prophecy — The Declarations of 
the Ancient Servants of God— Extracts from the Writings and Tes- 
timonies of Moses, Job, David, Isaiah, Zechariah, Micah and Hosea, 
to be found in the Old Testament, with remarks. 12 

, • • • V* 
CHAPTER III. 

Extracts from the New Testament, touching the Personal History of 
the Lord Jesus Christ and the Doctrine of the Atonement — Remarks 
on the "Times of Refreshing" — Results accruing to the Redeemer 
through His Death on the Cross, etc. 20 

CHAPTER IV. 

Extracts from the Pearl of Great Price and Inspired Translation of 
Genesis— Record of Moses regarding Adam, Enoch, Noah, Abraham 
and Joseph, and of their Faith in the Coming of the Savior. 36 

CHAPTER V. 

The Book of Mormon and the Atonement — Extracts from the Books of 
Ether, Nephi, Mosiah, Alma, Helaman and Mormon. 40 

CHAPTER VI. 

Extracts from the Book of Doctrine and Covenants— Christ's Testimony 
of Himself, of His Power and Calling, etc.— Testimony of Joseph 
Smith and Sidney Rigdon— Record of John the Baptist— Extract 
from a Sermon by President Brigham Young. 55 



4 



CONTENTS. 



CHAPTER VII. 

Introduction to the Historical Portion of this Treatise— The Dealings of 
God with Adam, Cain and Abel— The Institution of Sacrifice — The 
Symbolism of this Rite — The Words of the Angel to Adam — Luci- 
fer—His Rebellion in Heaven— His Conflict with Michael for the 
Body of Moses — He tempts Christ — He is cast into a Lake of Fire 
and Brimstone. 61 



CHAPTER VIII. 

Seth — His Sacrifice Accepted — Rebellion in the Heavens — The Gathering 
of the Patriarchs in the Valley of Adam-ondi-Ahman — Sacrifices 
Offered There. 67 



CHAPTER IX. 

Enoch, his Life and Translation — References to Him by Paul and Jude — 
Copious Extracts from His Prophecy — The Prophet Joseph Smith 
on Enoch and the Doctrine of Translation — The Office of Trans- 
lated Saints — Enoch's Future Work — Translation and Resurrection — 
Christ the Creator— Summary of the Results of Enoch's Faith in 
the Saving Blood of Christ. 71 



CHAPTER X. 

Noah— His Sacrifice— God's Covenant with Him— Melchizedek— His Priest- 
hood — Its Powers — Instances thereof Recorded in the Bible, in the 
Book of Mormon and in Latter-days — All Power of the Priesthood 
the Result of Faith in Christ, and Impossible without the Atone- 
ment—The Power of the Priesthood the Power of God— The Glory 
of God in the Immortality of Man— Christ the Word, the Cre- 
ator. 81 



CHAPTER XL 

Abraham's Record Concerning the Creation — The Council in Heaven — 
The Father's Plan, the Son's Acceptance, Satan's Rebellion — The 
Agency of Man— Suggestions Regarding Satan's Plan to Save All 
Mankind. 91 



CHAPTER XII. 

Abraham, Isaac and Jacob— Sacrifices Offered by Them — Abraham and 
the Gospel Covenant — Extracts from the Book of Abraham and the 
Writings of Paul. 99 



CHAPTER XIII. 

Sacrifices in the Days of Moses — The Institution of the Passover and 
the Exodus — The Symbolism of the Paschal Lamb— The Covenant 
of the Atonement between Christ and His Father — The Redeemed — 
Tokens of Covenants— The Rainbow— The Name of Jesus the Only 
Name— The Levites, 103 



CONTENTS. 



5 



CHAPTER XIV. 

History of Sacrifices and the Law of Moses among the Nephites— Ref- 
erences to the Books of Nephi, Jacob, Mosiah and Alma — The Tes- 
timony of Jesus regarding the Law of Moses. 109 



CHAPTER XV. 

The Offering of Sacrifice in the Times of the Restitution of all Things 
— Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith thereon — The Sons of 
Levi — Malachi's Prophecy — The Dispensation of the Fulness of 
Times. 119 



CHAPTER XVI. 

Brief Retrospect of the History of Sacrifice and its Symbolism — The 
Passover and the Lord's Supper— Christ's Relation to Both these 
Ordinances— The Last Supper. 124 



CHAPTER XVII. 

The Atonement and the Resurrection — Adam and Christ— Why a Law 
was Given unto Adam — The Results of Disobedience to that Law — 
Testimony of our First Parents — u Adam fell that Man might be" — 
The Fall a Necessary Portion of the Plan of Salvation — God's Plan 
a Merciful Plan— The Plan of Lucifer— Man's Free Agency— The 
Chain Complete. 128; 



CHAPTER XVIII. 

Christ as the Son of God — A Comparison between His Position, Glory, 
etc., and those of other Sons of God— His Recognition by the 
Father— Christ called the Very Eternal Father. 135 



CHAPTER XIX. 

Man as Man— His Excellency and His Limitations— Salvation and Eter- 
nal Progression Impossible without the Atonement— In Christ only 
can All be made Alive. 139 



CHAPTER XX. 

Christ to be Subject to Man— His Descent below all Things— Man's 
Condition had there been no Atonement— The Sons of God— Man's 
Inability to Save Himself— Christ's Glory before the World Was— 
Necessity for an Infinite Atonement— The Father and Son have 
Life in Themselves. 142. 



6 



CONTENTS. 



- CHAPTER XXI. 

The Relation of the Atonement to Little Children— Jesus Assumes the 
Responsibility of Man's Transgression, and Bears the Weight of his 
Sins and Sufferings— The Inferior Creatures and Sacrifice— The Ter- 
rors and Agonies of Christ's Passion and Death— The Tribulations, 
Earthquakes, etc., when He gave up the Ghost— Universal Nature 
Trembles— The Prophecies of Zenos and Enoch— The Testimony 
of the Centurion— Heirship, and the Descent of Blessings and 
Curses. 148 



CHAPTER XXII. 

The Operations of the Priesthood in the Heavens and upon the Earth, 
in Time and Eternity— The Heirs of the Celestial Kingdom— Those 
who Die without Law— The Judges of the Earth— Priests and Kings 
—Christ the King of Kings— Condition of Patriarch Joseph Smith, 
Apostle David Patten and Others— Moses and Elias— The Visits of 
Angels and their Testimonies— Peter, James and John— The Angel 
in the Book of Revelation. 154 

CHAPTER XXIII. 

The Laws of God Unchangeable, Universal and Eternal— Examples and 
Definitions— Evolutionists— Kingdoms and Light— Christ the Creator, 
etc. — Deviations from General Laws — Every Kingdom has a Law 
Given. 160 



CHAPTER XXIV. 

The Results of the Atonement— The Debt Paid— Justice and Mercy— 
Extracts from the Teachings of Alma and Others. 170 



CHAPTER XXV. 

The Resurrection — The Universality of the Atonement— The Promises 
to those who Overcome — The Gospel— Its First Principles— Faith, 
Repentance, Baptism and the Gift of the Holy Ghost— Its Antiquity 
—It is Preached in Various Dispensations, from Adam until the 
Present— The Final Triumph of the Saints. 177 



THE MEDIATION >ND ATONEMEN 

OF 

OUR LORD AND SAVIOR JESUS CHBIST. 



CHAPTER L 

Introductory— Christ's Testimony with regard to His Sufferings— Christ 
came to do the Will of His Father — The Testimony of the Father 
at His Baptism and Transfiguration. 

In the last chapter of St. Luke's Gospel is to be 
found a deeply interesting account of several events that 
took place on the day that the Redeemer was resurrected. 
Amongst other incidents, he relates that on that clay 
two of the disciples took a melancholy journey from Jeru- 
salem to the neighboring village of Emmaus. Whilst they 
walked, the sadness of their hearts found expression on 
their tongues, and they mournfully rehearsed to each 
other the story of the crucifixion of their Master. By 
and by, they were joined by an apparent stranger, who, 
though none other than the resurrected Savior, was not 
recognized by them. In answer to His inquiries, they 
repeated the sad history of the days just passed, and 
expressed the disappointment that His death had brought, 
for they trusted that it had been He who should have 
redeemed Israel. Then Jesus said unto them, "0 fools, 
and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have 
spoken! Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, 
and to enter into His glory? And beginning at Moses, 



8 



THE MEDIATION AND ATONEMENT. 



and all the prophets, He expounded unto them in all 
the scriptures the things concerning Himself." — Luke, xxiv, 
25—27. 

When they reached Emmaus, with characteristic east- 
ern hospitality, they constrained the stranger to abide 
with them. He consented, and as they sat at meat He 
took bread, and blessed it, brake and gave unto them. 
Then their eyes were opened and they knew Him, and 
He vanished out of their sight. "And they rose up the 
same hour, and returned to Jerusalem, and found the 
eleven gathered together and them that were with them, 
saying, The Lord is risen indeed, and hath appeared to 
Simon. And they told what things were done in the 
Way, and how He was known of them in break- 
ing of bread. And as they thus spake, Jesus himself 
stood in the midst of them, and saith unto them, Peace 
be unto you." 

After the Savior had convinced the disciples then 
present of His identity, and had partaken of some 
broiled fish and an honey comb, He said unto them, 
"These are the words which I spake unto you, while I 
was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled which 
were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, 
and in the psalms, concerning me. Then opened he 
their understanding, that they might understand the 
scriptures, and said unto them, Thus it is written, 
and thus it behooved Christ to suffer, and to rise from 
the dead the third day : And that repentance and re- 
mission of sins should be preached in his name among 
all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. And ye are wit- 
nesses of these things." 

One great and very striking statement is here made 
by the Lord Himself, to the effect that it behooved 
Christ to suffer, and the question at once presents itself 
before us, why did it behoove Him? Or why was it 
necessary that He should suffer ? For it would seem from 
His language, through His sufferings, death, atone- 
ment and resurrection, "that repentance and remission 
of sins" could be preached among all nations, and that 



THE MEDIATION AND ATONEMENT. 



9 



consequently if He had not atoned for the sins of the 
world, repentance and remission of sins could not have 
been preached to the nations. 

A very important principle is here enunciated, one 
in which the interests of the whole human family 
throughout all the world are involved. That principle 
is the offering up of the Son of God, as a sacrifice, an 
atonement and a propitiation for our sins. Jesus said, He 
came not to do His will, but the will of His Father, 
who sent Him. He came, as we are told, to take 
away sin by the sacrifice of Himself; and not only did 
He come, but He came in accordance with certain pre- 
conceived ideas that had been entertained and testified 
of by Prophets and men of God in all preceding ages, 
or from the days of Adam to the days of John the 
Baptist, the latter being His precursor or forerunner, 
who indeed, when he saw Him coming, made the declar- 
ation, Behold the Lamb of God, who taketh away the 
sin of the world. At His baptism the Spirit of God 
bore witness to this testimony and descended upon Jesus 
in the form of a dove, or, rather, the form of a dove was 
the sign of the Holy Spirit; whilst a voice was heard 
from heaven proclaiming: "This is my beloved Son, in 
whom I am well pleased." 

This manifestation of God's acknowledgment of His 
beloved Son was spoken of by personal witnesses who 
bore record to the facts. 

Matthew testifies: "Then cometh Jesus from Galilee 
to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him. But John 
forbade him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, 
and comest thou to me? And Jesus answering said 
unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh 
us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffered him. 
And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straight- 
way out of the water: and lo, the heavens were opened 
unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending 
like a dove, and lighting upon him: And lo, a voice 
from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom 
I am well pleased.' — Matthew, iii, 13 — 17. 



4 



CONTENTS. 



CHAPTER VII. 

Introduction to the Historical Portion of this Treatise —The Dealings of 
God with Adam, Cain and Abel— The Institution of Sacrifice— The 
Symbolism of this Rite— The Words of the Angel to Adam— Luci- 
fer— His Rebellion in Heaven— His Conflict with Michael for the 
Body of Moses — He tempts Christ — He is cast into a Lake of Fire 
and Brimstone. 61 



CHAPTER VIII. 

Seth— His Sacrifice Accepted— Rebellion in the Heavens— The Gathering 
of the Patriarchs in the Valley of Adam-ondi-Ahman — Sacrifices 
Offered There. 67 



CHAPTER IX. 

Enoch, his Life and Translation — References to Him by Paul and Jude — 
Copious Extracts from His Prophecy— The Prophet Joseph Smith 
on Enoch and the Doctrine of Translation — The Office of Trans- 
lated Saints— Enoch's Future Work— Translation and Resurrection- 
Christ the Creator— Summary of the Results of Enoch's Faith in 
the Saving Blood of Christ. 71 



CHAPTER X. 

Noah — His Sacrifice — God's Covenant with Him— Melchizedek — His Priest- 
hood — Its Powers — Instances thereof Recorded in the Bible, in the 
Book of Mormon and in Latter-days— All Power of the Priesthood 
the Result of Faith in Christ, and Impossible without the Atone- 
ment—The Power of the Priesthood the Power of God— The Glory 
of God in the Immortality of Man — Christ the Word, the Cre- 
ator. 81 



CHAPTER XL 

Abraham's Record Concerning the Creation — The Council in Heaven— 
The Father's Plan, the Son's Acceptance, Satan's Rebellion— The 
Agency of Man — Suggestions Regarding Satan's Plan to Save All 
Mankind. 91 



CHAPTER XII. 

Abraham, Isaac and Jacob— Sacrifices Offered by Them — Abraham and 
the Gospel Covenant — Extracts from the Book of Abraham and the 
Writings of Paul. 99 

CHAPTER XIII. 

Sacrifices in the Days of Moses— The Institution of the Passover and 
the Exodus— The Symbolism of the Paschal Lamb— The Covenant 
of the Atonement between Christ and His Father— The Redeemed— 
Tokens of Covenants — The Rainbow— The Name of Jesus the Only 
Name— The Levites. 103 



CONTENTS. 



5 



CHAPTER XIV. 

History of Sacrifices and the Law of Moses among the Nephites— Ref- 
erences to the Books of Nephi, Jacob, Mosiah and Alma— The Tes- 
timony of Jesus regarding the Law of Moses. 109 



CHAPTER XV. 

The Offering of Sacrifice in the Times of the Restitution of all Things 
— Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith thereon— The Sons of 
Levi — Malachi's Prophecy— The Dispensation of the Fulness of 
Times. 119 



CHAPTER XVI. 

Brief Retrospect of the History of Sacrifice and its Symbolism — The 
Passover and the Lord's Supper— Christ's Relation to Both these 
Ordinances— The Last Supper. 124 



CHAPTER XVII. 

The Atonement and the Resurrection — Adam and Christ— Why a Law 
was Given unto Adam — The Results of Disobedience to that Law — 
Testimony of our First Parents— " Adam fell that Man might be" — 
The Fall a Necessary Portion of the Plan of Salvation — God's Plan 
a Merciful Plan— The Plan of Lucifer— Man's Free Agency— The 
Chain Complete. 128 



CHAPTER XVIII. 

Christ as the Son of God — A Comparison between His Position, Glory, 
etc., and those of other Sons of God— His Recognition by the 
Father— Christ called the Yery Eternal Father. 135 



CHAPTER XIX. 

Man as Man— His Excellency and His Limitations— Salvation and Eter- 
nal Progression Impossible without the Atonement— In Christ only 
can All be made Alive. 139 



CHAPTER XX. 

Christ to be Subject to Man— His Descent below all Things— Man's 
Condition had there been no Atonement— The Sons of God— Man's 
Inability to Save Himself— Christ's Glory before the World Was— 
Necessity for an Infinite Atonement— The Father and Son have 
Life in Themselves. 142. 



6 



CONTENTS. 



CHAPTER XXL 

The Relation of the Atonement to Little Children — Jesus Assumes the 
Responsibility of Man's Transgression, and Bears the Weight of his 
Sins and Sufferings — The Inferior Creatures and Sacrifice — The Ter- 
rors and Agonies of Christ's Passion and Death — The Tribulations, 
Earthquakes, etc., when He gave up the Ghost— Universal Nature 
Trembles— The Prophecies of Zenos and Enoch — The Testimony 
of the Centurion — Heirship, and the Descent of Blessings and 
Curses. 148 



CHAPTER XXII. 

The Operations of the Priesthood in the Heavens and upon the Earth, 
in Time and Eternity — The Heirs of the Celestial Kingdom — Those 
who Die without Law — The Judges of the Earth — Priests and Kings 
—Christ the King of Kings — Condition of Patriarch Joseph Smith, 
Apostle David Patten and Others— Moses and Elias — The Visits of 
Angels and their Testimonies — Peter, James and John — The Angel 
in the Book of Revelation. 154 



CHAPTER XXIII. 

The Laws of God Unchangeable, Universal and Eternal— Examples and 
Definitions— Evolutionists— Kingdoms and Light— Christ the Creator, 
etc. — Deviations from General Laws — Every Kingdom has a Law 
Given. 160 



CHAPTER XXIV. 

The Results of the Atonement— The Debt Paid— Justice and Mercy- 
Extracts from the Teachings of Alma and Others. 170 



CHAPTER XXV. 

The Resurrection— The Universality of the Atonement— The Promises 
to those who Overcome — The Gospel— Its First Principles— Faith, 
Repentance, Baptism and the Gift of the Holy Ghost— Its Antiquity 
—It is Preached in Various Dispensations, from Adam until the 
Present— The Final Triumph of the Saints. 177 



HE MEDIATION JM ATONEMENT 

OF 

OUR LORD AND SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST. 



CHAPTER I. 

Introductory— Christ's Testimony with regard to His Sufferings— Christ 
came to do the Wiil of His Father— The Testimony of the Father 
at His Baptism and Transfiguration. 

In the last chapter of St. Luke's Gospel is to be 
found a deeply interesting account of several events that 
took place on the day that the Redeemer was resurrected. 
Amongst other incidents, he relates that on that day 
two of the disciples took a melancholy journey from Jeru- 
salem to the neighboring village of Emmaus. Whilst they 
walked, the sadness of their hearts found expression on 
their tongues, and they mournfully rehearsed to each 
other the story of the crucifixion of their Master. By 
and by, they were joined by an apparent stranger, who, 
though none other than the resurrected Savior, was not 
recognized by them. In answer to His inquiries, they 
repeated the sad history of the days just passed, and 
expressed the disappointment that His death had brought, 
for they trusted that it had been He who should have 
redeemed Israel. Then Jesus said unto them, "0 fools, 
and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have 
spoken! Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, 
and to enter into His glory? And beginning at Moses, 



8 



THE MEDIATION AND ATONEMENT. 



and all the prophets, He expounded unto them in all 
the scriptures the things concerning Himself." — Luke, xxiv, 
25—27. 

When they reached Emmaus, with characteristic east- 
ern hospitality, they constrained the stranger to abide 
with them. He consented, and as they sat at meat He 
took bread, and blessed it, brake and gave unto them. 
Then their eyes were opened and they knew Him, and 
He vanished out of their sight. "And they rose up the 
same hour, and returned to Jerusalem, and found the 
eleven gathered together and them that were with them, 
saying, The Lord is risen indeed, and hath appeared to 
Simon. And they told what things were done in the 
Way, and how He was known of them in break- 
ing of bread. And as they thus spake, Jesus himself 
stood in the midst of them, and saith unto them, Peace 
be unto you." 

After the Savior had convinced the disciples then 
present of His identity, and had partaken of some 
broiled fish and an honey comb, He said unto them, 
"These are the words which I spake unto you, while I 
was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled which 
were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, 
and in the psalms, concerning me. Then opened he 
their understanding, that they might understand the 
scriptures, and said unto them, Thus it is written, 
and thus it behooved Christ to suffer, and to rise from 
the dead the third day : And that repentance and re- 
mission of sins should be preached in his name among 
all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. And ye are wit- 
nesses of these things." 

One great and very striking statement is here made 
by the Lord Himself, to the effect that it behooved 
Christ to suffer, and the question at once presents itself 
before us, why did it behoove Him? Or why was it 
necessary that He should suffer ? For it would seem from 
His language, through His sufferings, death, atone- 
ment and resurrection, "that repentance and remission 
of sins" could be preached among all nations, and that 



THE MEDIATION AND ATONEMENT. 



9 



consequently if He had not atoned for the sins of the 
world, repentance and remission of sins could not have 
been preached to the nations. 

A very important principle is here enunciated, one 
in which the interests of the whole human family 
throughout all the world are involved. That principle 
is the offering up of the Son of God, as a sacrifice, an 
atonement and a propitiation for our sins. Jesus said, He 
came not to do His will, but the will of His Father, 
who sent Him. He came, as we are told, to take 
away sin by the sacrifice of Himself; and not only did 
He come, but He came in accordance with certain pre- 
conceived ideas that had been entertained and testified 
of by Prophets and men of God in all preceding ages, 
or from the days of Adam to the days of John the 
Baptist, the latter being His precursor or forerunner, 
who indeed, when he saw Him coming, made the declar- 
ation, Behold the Lamb of God, who taketh away the 
sin of the world. At His baptism the Spirit of God 
bore witness to this testimony and descended upon Jesus 
in the form of a dove, or, rather, the form of a dove was 
the sign of the Holy Spirit; whilst a voice was heard 
from heaven proclaiming: "This is my beloved Son, in 
whom I am well pleased." 

This manifestation of God's acknowledgment of His 
beloved Son was spoken of by personal witnesses who 
bore record to the facts. 

Matthew testifies: "Then cometh Jesus from Galilee 
to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him. But John 
forbade him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, 
and comest thou to me? And Jesus answering said 
unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh 
us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffered him. 
And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straight- 
way out of the water: and lo, the heavens were opened 
unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending 
like a dove, and lighting upon him: And lo, a voice 
from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom 
I am well pleased.' — Matthew, iii ; 13 — 17. 



10 



THE MEDIATION AND ATONEMENT. 



Whilst Mark relates, "And it came to pass in those 
clays, that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and 
was baptized of John in Jordan. And straightway com- 
ing up out of the water, he saw the heavens opened, 
and the Spirit like a dove descending upon him. And 
there came a voice from heaven, saying, Thou art my be- 
loved Son, in whom I am well pleased." — Mark, i, 9 — 11. 

And John, in his Gospel, states that John the Bap- 
tist bare record, saying, "I saw the Spirit descending 
from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him. 
And I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize 
with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou 
shalt see the Spirit descending and remaining on him, 
the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost. 
And I saw and bare record, that this is the Son of 
God. "—John, i, 32—34. 

We have this great truth of the open recognition of 
Jesus, by His Father, as His beloved Son, again enun- 
ciated when the three Apostles, Peter, James and John, 
were on the Mount, and Jesus was transfigured before 
them. It is declared , that "a bright cloud overshadowed 
them: and behold, a voice out of the cloud, which said, 
This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; 
hear ye him." — Matthew, xvii, 5. 

The Son, thus openly acknowledged, came not to 
earth to do His own will, but the will of His Father. 
The will of the Father appears to have been that the 
Son should suffer, for He, Himself, prayed: "0 my 
Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: 
nevertheless, not as I will, but as thou wilt." (Matthew, 
xxvi, 39.) Or, as the New Translation' by the Prophet 
Joseph Smith has it, "0 my Father, if this cup may 
not pass away from me except I drink it, thy will be 
done." The Father did not let it pass from Him; He 
therefore drank it, and finally, on the cross He said, 
"It is finished," and bowed His head and gave up the 
Ghost. 

In regard to this Jesus Himself testifies. First to the 
Nephites: "Behold,, I am Jesus Christ, whom the Pro- 



THE MEDIATION AND ATONEMENT. 



11 



phets testified shall come into the world; and behold, I 
am the light and life of the world; and I have drunk 
out of that bitter cup which the Father hath given me, 
and have glorified the Father in taking upon me the 
sins of the world, in the, which I have suffered the will 
of the Father in all things from the beginning." — iii 
Nephi, xi, 10, 11. 

And again, in this dispensation, He bears witness: 
a For behold, I, God, have suffered these things for all, 
that they might not suffer if they would repent, but if 
they would not repent, they must suffer even as I, 
which suffering caused myself, even God, the greatest of 
all, to tremble because of pain, and to bleed at every pore, 
and to suffer both body and spirit: and would that I 
might not drink the bitter cup and shrink, nevertheless, 
glory be to the Father, and I partook and finished my 
preparations unto the children of men." — Doc. and Cov., 
xix, 16-19, page 118. 

The saying of our Savior, to which we have already 
alluded, 'Thus it is written and thus it behooved 
Christ to suffer," is a very important one, and it would 
seem to be necessary, in the consideration of our subject, 
for us to obtain, from the writings of the servants of 
God that we have, an understanding what these state- 
ments were; how extensively they were corroborated by 
the sacred records; and what is said with regard to the 
necessity of Christ's sufferings thus referred to: and, 
furthermore, we may notice the reason why they should 
be thus necessary. 

In making this examination, we will first quote from 
the writings of the Old and New Testaments, and, 
although we are informed by later revelations that "many 
parts which are plain and most precious" have been taken 
away therefrom, yet there is a large amount of testimony left 
in this valuable and sacred record, which plainly exhibits 
that the principle of the atonement was fully understood 
by the Prophets in former ages. 



12 



THE MEDIATION AND ATONEMENT. 



CHAPTER II. 

The Testimony of Jesus the Spirit of Prophecy— The Declarations of 
the Ancient Servants of God— Extracts from the Writings and Tes- 
timonies of Moses, Job, David, Isaiah, Zechariah, Micah and Hosea, 
to be found in the Old Testament, with remarks. 

In the chapter of Luke's Gospel, to which we have 
already referred, speaking of Jesus, it is written, "Beginning 
with Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto 
them in all the Scriptures the things concerning him- 
self." 

If this be taken in the fullest sense, and we know 
of no reason why it should not thus be received, there 
is a great principle developed, which is, that not only 
Moses, but all the Prophets, testified concerning the 
coming Redeemer. As elsewhere stated, this must have 
been the case, for we are told that "the testimony of 
Jesus is the spirit of prophecy;" and this being admit- 
ted, how could they have the spirit of prophecy, or be 
Prophets without having the testimony of Jesus? And 
we are told further that the Prophets sought "what 
manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them 
did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings 
of Christ, and the glory that should follow." — 1 Peter, i, 11. 

These scriptures evidently show that the testimony 
of Jesus was the very principle, essence and power of 
the spirit of prophecy whereby they were inspired. 

We find a great many statements corroborative of 
these facts in those portions of the writings and pro- 
phecies of the ancient servants of God, that have been 
handed down to us in the Old Testament, and from 
these testimonies we select a few to show how various 
and how detailed have been the inspired utterances re- 
garding the life and death of the Messiah. 

"The Lord thy God will raise up unto thee a Pro- 



THE MEDIATION AND ATONEMENT. 13 

phet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like 
unto me, [Moses,] unto him ye shall hearken. * * 

* And the Lord said unto me, They have well 
spoken that which they have spoken. I will raise them 
up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto 
thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he 
shall speak unto them all that I shall command him. 
And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not 
hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my 
name, I will require it of him." — Deut., xviii, 15, 17 — 19. 

"For I know that my Redeemer liveth, and that he 
shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: And 
though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in 
my flesh shall I see God: Whom I shall see for my- 
self, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; 
though my reins be consurled within me." — Job, xix, 
25—27. 

"Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine 
a vain thing? The kings of the earth set themselves, 
and the rulers take counsel together, against the Lord 
and against his Anointed, saying, Let us break their 
bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us. 
He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord 
shall have them in derision. Then shall he speak unto 
them in his wrath, and vex them in his sore dis- 
pleasure. Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill 
of Zion. I will declare the decree: the Lord hath said 
unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten 
thee. Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen 
for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the 
earth for thy possession. Thou shalt break them with 
a rod of iron; thou shalt dash them in pieces like a 
potter's vessel. Be wise now therefore, 0 ye kings: be 
instructed, ye judges of the earth. Serve the Lord with 
fear, and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son, lest he 
be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath 
is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put 
their trust in him." — Psalm ii, 1 — 12. 

While the first portion of the above psalm refers to 



14 



THE MEDIATION AND ATONEMENT. 



the Anointed of the Lord, and matters that would take 
place at His first appearing, still many of the things, 
therein mentioned, have not yet transpired. The same 
may be said of the following passages from Zechariah, 
which speak of His being pierced and of His rejection 
by the Jews as a thing accomplished, when at that 
time these events had not taken place. But it does 
prove that His people would reject and pierce Him, and 
that afterwards when He should come as their deliverer 
(like Joseph, whom his brethren sold, appeared as their 
deliverer in Egypt), they should look upon Him whom 
they had pierced. 

"And I will pour upon the house of David, and 
upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace 
and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom 
they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as 
one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitter- 
ness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his first 
born."— -Zech., xii, 10. 

"And one shall say unto him, What are these 
wounds in thy hands? Then he shall answer, Those 
with which I was wounded in the house of my friends." 
— Zech., xiii, 6. 

"For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is 
given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: 
and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The 
mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of 
Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace 
there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and 
upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with 
judgment and with justice from henceforth even forever. 
The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this." — Isaiah, 
ix, 6, 7. 

"Therefore, the Lord himself shall give you a sign; 
Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall 
call his name Immanuel." — Isaiah, vii, 14. 

"The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my 
right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool. 
The Lord shall send the rod of thy strength out of 



THE MEDIATION AND ATONEMENT. 



15 



Zion; rule thou in the midst of thine enemies. Thy 
people shall be willing in the day of thy power, in the 
beauties of holiness from the womb of the morning: 
thou hast the dew of thy youth. The Lord hath sworn 
and will not repent, Thou art a priest forever after the 
order of Melchizedek." — Psalm cx, 1 — 4. 

"Thou lovest righteousness, and hatest wickedness: 
therefore God, thy God, hath anointed thee with the 
oil of gladness above thy fellows." — Psalm xlv, 7. 

"And the Kedeemer shall come to Zion, and unto 
them that turn from transgression in Jacob, saith the 
Lord." — Isaiah, lix, 20. 

"Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, 
in whom my soul delighteth; I have put my Spirit upon 
him: he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles. He 
shall not cry, nor lift up, nor cause his voice to be 
heard in the street. A bruised -reed shall he not break, 
and the smoking flax shall he not quench: he shall 
bring forth judgment unto truth. He shall not fail nor 
be discouraged, till he have set judgment in the earth: 
and the isles shall wait for his law. Thus saith God 
the Lord, he that created the heavens and stretched 
them out; he that spread forth the earth, and that 
which cometh out of it; he that giveth breath unto the 
people upon it, and spirit to them that walk therein: 
I the Lord have called thee in righteousness, and will 
hold thine hand, and will keep thee, and give thee 
for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gen- 
tiles; to open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners 
from the prison, and them that sit in darkness out of 
the prison house. I am the Lord; that is my name: 
and my glory will I not give to another, neither my 
praise to graven images. Behold, the former things 
are come to pass, and new things do I declare: before 
they spring forth I tell you of them." — Isaiah, xlii, 1 — 9. 

"Who hath ■ believed our report? and to whom is 
the arm of the Lord revealed? For he shall grow up 
before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a 
dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when 



16 



THE MEDIATION AND ATONEMENT. 



we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should 
desire him. He is despised and rejected of men; a man 
of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it 
were our faces from him; he was despised, and we 
esteemed him not. Surely he hath borne our griefs, and 
carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, 
smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for 
our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the 
chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his 
stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; 
we have turned every one to his own way; and the 
Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. He was 
oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his 
mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and 
as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth 
not his mouth. He was taken from prison and from 
judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he 
was cut off out of the land of the living: for the trans- 
gression of my people was he stricken. And he made 
his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his 
death; because he had done no violence, neither was 
any deceit in his mouth. Yet it pleased the Lord to 
bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt 
make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, 
he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord 
shall prosper in his hand. He shall see of the tra- 
vail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowl- 
edge shall my righteous servant justify inany; for he 
shall bear their iniquities. Therefore will I divide him 
a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil 
with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul 
unto death: and he was numbered with the transgres- 
sors; and he bare the sin of many, and made inter- 
cession for the transgressors." — Isaiah, liii, 1 — 12. 

"Rejoice greatly, 0 daughter of Zion; shout, 0 
daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy king cometh unto 
thee : he is just, and having salvation ; lowly, and riding 
upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass." — 
Zech., ix, 9. 



THE MEDIATION AND ATONEMENT. 



17 



"And I said unto them, If ye think good, give me 
•my price; and if not, forbear. So they weighed for my 
price thirty pieces of silver." — Zech., xi, 12. 

"When Israel was a child, then I loved him, and 
•called my son out of Egypt." — Hosea, xi, 1. 

Regarding which prophecy Matthew writes, "AVhen 
he arose he took the young child [Jesus] and his mother 
by night, and departed into Egypt: and was there until 
the death of Herod: that it might be fulfilled which 
was spoken of the Lord by the Prophet, saying, Out of 
Egypt have I called my Son." — Matthew, ii, 14, 15. 

"Thus saith the Lord; A voice was heard in 
Raman, lamentation, and bitter weeping; Rachel weeping 
for her children, refused to be comforted for her chil- 
dren, because they were not." — Jeremiah, xxxi, 15. 

The same evangelist refers also to the fulfilment of 
this prophecy: "Then Herod, when he saw that he was 
mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent 
forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, 
and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and 
under, according to the time which he had diligently 
inquired of the wise men. Then was fulfilled that 
which was spoken by Jeremy the prophet, saying, In 
Ramah was there a voice heard, lamentation, and weep- 
ing, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her child- 
ren, and would not be comforted, because they are not." 
—Matthew, ii, 16—18. 

"But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be 
little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee 
shall he come forth unto me that is to be Ruler in 
Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from 
everlasting." — Micah, v, 2. 

"Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoiceth: 
my flesh also shall rest in hope. For thou wilt not 
leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine 
Holy One to see corruption." — Psalm xvi, 9, 10. 

This expression of the Psalmist evidently refers to 
the resurrection of the Son of God. It is so quoted 
by Paul in his sermon at Antioch: "And we declare 

2 



IS 



THE MEDIATION AND ATONEMENT. 



unto you glad tidings, how that the promise which was 
made unto the fathers, God hath fulfilled the same unto 
us their children, in that he hath raised up Jesus again; 
as it is also written in the second psalm, Thou art my 
Son, this day have I begotten thee. And as concerning 
that he raised him up from the dead, now no more to 
return to corruption, he said on this wise, I will give 
you the sure mercies of David. A\ nerefore he saith also in 
another psalm, Thou shalt not suffer thine Holy One to 
see corruption. For David, after he had served his own 
generation by the will of God, fell on sleep, and was 
laid unto his fathers, and saw corruption. But he, whom 
God raised again, saw no corruption." — Acts, xiii, 32 — 37. 

"The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me; because 
the Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto 
the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the broken- 
hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the 
opening of the prison to them that are bound; to pro- 
claim the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of 
vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn; to 
appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto 
them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the 
garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they 
might be called Trees of righteousness, The planting of 
the Lord, that he might be glorified." — Isaiah, lxi, 1 — 3. 

This prophecy is referred to in the following inci- 
dent in the life of Jesus, narrated by Luke: 

"And he came to Nazareth, where he had been 
brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the 
synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up for to 
read. And there was delivered unto him the book of 
the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, 
he found the place where it was written, The Spirit of 
the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to 
preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal 
the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives^ 
and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty 
them that are bruised, to preach the acceptable year of 
the Lord. And he closed the book, and he gave it 



THE MEDIATION AND ATONEMENT. 



19 



again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of 
all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on 
him. And he began to say unto them, This day is this 
scripture fulfilled in your ears." — Luke, iv, 16 — 21. 

"Lift up your heads, 0 ye gates; and be ye lifted 
up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come 
in. Who is this King of glory? The Lord strong and 
mighty, the Lord mighty in battle. Lift up your heads, 
0 ye gates; even lift them up, ye everlasting doors; and 
the King of glory shall come in. Who is this King of 
glory? The Lord of hosts, he is the King of glory. 
Selah." — Psalm xxiv, 7 — 10. 

The above is made much more plain in the inspired 
version, where it appears as follows: 

"Lift up your heads, 0 ye generations of Jacob; and 
be ye lifted up; and the Lord strong and mighty, the 
Lord mighty in battle, who is the King of glory, shall 
establish you for ever. And he will roll away the 
heavens, and will come down to redeem his people, to 
make you an .everlasting name, to establish you upon 
Ids everlasting rock. Lift up your heads, 0 ye genera- 
tions of Jacob; lift up your heads, ye everlasting 
generations, and the Lord of hosts, the King of kings, 
even the King of glory, shall come unto you; and shall 
redeem his people, and shall establish them in righteous- 
ness. Selah." 



20 



THE MEDIATION AND ATONEMENT. 



CHAPTER III. 

Extracts from the New Testament, touching the Personal History of 
the Lord Jesus Christ and the Doctrine of the Atonement— Remarks 
on the "Times of Refreshing"— Results accruing to the Redeemer 
through His Death on the Cross, etc. 

From the New Testament we will first introduce 
some texts with regard to the birth of the Savior, fol- 
lowed by testimonies of the Lord Jesus with regard to 
Himself, and afterwards give extracts from the teachings 
-and epistles of His disciples, etc. 

"Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: 
"When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, be- 
fore they came together, she was found with child of 
the Holy Ghost. Then Joseph her husband, being a 
just man, and not willing to make her a public example, 
was minded to put her away privily. But while he 
thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord 
appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou 
son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy 
wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy 
Ghost. And she shall bring forth a son, and thou 
shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his peo- 
ple from their sins. Now all this was done, that it 
might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by 
the prophet, saying, Behold, a virgin shall be with 
child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call 
his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God 
with us."— Matthew, i, 18—23. 

"And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was 
sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth, 
to a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, 
of the house of David; and the virgin's name was 
Mary. And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, 
thou that art highly favored, the Lord is with thee; 



THE MEDIATION AND ATONEMENT. 



21 



blessed art thou among women. And when she saw 
him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her 
mind what manner of salutation this should be. And 
the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast 
found favor with God. And behold, thou shalt conceive 
in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his 
name Jesus. He shall be great, and shall be called the 
Son of the Highest; and the Lord God shall give unto 
him the throne of his father David. And he shall 
reign over the house of Jacob forever; and of his king- 
dom there shall be no end. Then said Mary unto the 
angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man? 
And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy 
Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the 
Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy 
thing which shall be born of thee, shall be called the Son 
of God. And behold thy cousin Elisabeth, she hath 
also conceived a son in her old age; and this is the 
sixth month with her who was called barren: for with 
God nothing shall be impossible. And Mary said, Be- 
hold the handmaid of the Lord, be it unto me accord- 
ing to thy word. And the angel departed from her. 
And Mary arose in those days, and went into the hill- 
country with haste, ' into a city of Juda, and entered 
into the house of Zacharias, and saluted Elisabeth. And 
it came to pass, that when Elisabeth heard the saluta- 
tion of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb: and Elisa- 
beth was filled with the Holy Ghost. And she spake 
out with a loud voice and said, Blessed art thou among 
women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb. And 
whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord 
should come to me? For lo, as soon as the voice of 
thy salutation sounded in mine ears, the babe leaped in 
my womb for joy. And blessed is she that believed: for 
there shall be a performance of those things which were 
told her from the Lord. And Mary said, My soul doth 
magnify the Lord, and my spirit hath rejoiced in God 
my Savior. For he hath regarded the low estate of 
his handmaiden: for behold, from henceforth all genera- 



22 



THE MEDIATION AND ATONEMENT. 



tions shall call me blessed. For lie that is mighty hath 
done to me great things; and holy is his name. And 
his mercy is on them that fear him, from generation to 
generation. He hath shewed strength with his arm; he 
liath scattered the proud in the imagination of their 
hearts. He hath put down the mighty, from their seats, 
and exalted them of low degree. He hath filled the 
hungry with good things, and the rich he hath sent 
empty away. He hath holpen his servant Israel, in re- 
membrance of his mercy; as he spake to our fathers, 
to Abraham, and to his seed, forever." — Luke, i, 26 — 55. 

"And it came to pass in those days, that there 
went out a decree from Cesar Augustus, that all the 
world should be taxed. • (And this taxing was first made 
when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.) And all went to 
be taxed, every one into his own city. And Joseph 
also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, 
into Judea, unto the city of David, which is called 
Bethlehem (because he was of the house and lineage of 
David), to be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being 
great with child. And so it was, that while they were 
there, the days were accomplished that she should be 
delivered. And she brought forth her first born son, 
and wrapped him in swaddling-clothes, and laid him in 
a manger: because there was no room for them in the 
inn. And there were in the same country shepherds 
abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by 
night. And lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, 
and the glory of the Lord shone round about them; 
and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto 
them, Fear not: for behold, I bring you good tidings of 
great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you 
is born this day, in the city of David, a Savior, which 
is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; 
Ye shall find the babe wrapped # in swaddling-clothes, 
lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the 
angel a- multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and 
saying, Glory to God in the Highest, and on earth peace, 
good will toward men. And it came to pass, as the 



THE MEDIATION AND ATONEMENT. 



23 



angels were gone away from them into heaven, the 
shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even 
unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to 
pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us." — 
Luke, ii, 1 — 15. 

"When Jesus came into the coasts of Cesarea Phil- 
ippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say 
that -I, the Son of man, am ? And they said, Some say 
that thou art John the Baptist : some, Elias : and others, 
Jeremias, or one of the prophets. He saith unto them, 
But whom say ye that I am ? And Simon Peter an- 
swered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the liv- 
ing God. And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed 
art thou, Simon Bar-jona ; for flesh and blood hath not 
revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. 

* Then charged he his disciples that 

they should tell no man that he was Jesus the Christ." — 
Matt., xvi, 13—17, 20. 

Of this same conversation Mark records : " And Jesus 
went out, and his disciples, into the towns of Cesarea 
Philippi : and by the way he asked his disciples, saying 
unto them, Whom do men say that I am ? And they 
answered, John the Baptist : but some say, Elias ; and 
others, one of the prophets. And he saith unto them, 
But whom say ye that I am ? And Peter answereth and 
saith unto him, Thou art the Christ. And he charged 
them that they should tell no man of him. And he 
began to teach them, that the Son of man must suffer 
many things, and be rejected of the elders, and of the 
chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and after three 
days rise again. And he spake that saying openly." — 
Mark, viii, 27—32. 

Whilst Luke testifies, "And it came to pass, as he 
was alone praying, his disciples were with him ; and he 
asked them, saying, Whom say the ' people that I am ? 
They answering, said, John the Baptist ; but some say, 
Elias ; and others say, that one of the old prophets is 
risen again. He said unto them, But whom say ye that 
I am ? Peter answering, said, The Christ of God. And 



24 



THE MEDIATION AND ATONEMENT. 



he straitly charged them, and commanded them to tell 
no man that thing, saying, The Son of man must suffer 
many things, and be rejected of the elders, and chief 
priests, and scribes, and be slain, and be raised the third 
day."— Luke, ix, 18—22. 

"For God so loved the world that he gave his only 
begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should 
not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not 
his Son into the . world to condemn the world; but that, 
the world through him might be saved." — John, iii, 
16, 17. 

" And he said unto them, Ye are from beneath ; I 
am from above : ye are of this world ; I am not of this 
world. I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in 
your sins : for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall 
die in your sins. Then said they unto him, Who art 
thou ? And Jesus saith unto them, Even the same that 
I said unto you from the beginning. I have many things 
to say, and to judge of you : but he that sent me, is 
true ; and I speak to the world those things which I 
have heard of him. They understood not that he spake 
to them of the Father. Then said Jesus unto them, 
When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye 
know that I am he, and that I do nothing of myself ; 
but as my Father hath taught me I speak these things. 
And he that sent me is with me : the Father hath not 
left me alone ; for I do always those things that please 
him."— John, viii, 23—29. 

" Then answered Jesus, and said unto them, Verily, 
verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of 
himself, but what he seeth the Father do ; for what 
things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son like- 
wise. For the Father loveth the Son, and sheweth him 
all things that himself doeth : and he will shew him 
greater works than these, that ye may marvel. For as 
the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth them ; 
even so the Son quickeneth whom he will. For the 
Father judgeth no man ; but hath committed all judg- 
ment unto the Son : that all men should honor the Son,. 



THE MEDIATION AND ATONEMENT. 



25 



even as they honor the Father. He that honoreth not 
the Son, honoreth not the Father which hath sent him. 
* * * But I have greater witness than 

• that of John : for the works which the Father hath 
given me to finish, the same works that I do, bear wit- 
ness of me, that the Father hath sent me. And the 
Father himself which hath sent me, hath borne witness 
of me. Ye have neither heard his voice at any time, 
nor seen his shape. And ye have not his word abiding 
in you: for whom he hath sent, him ye believe not. 
Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have 
eternal life : And they are they which testify of me. — 
John, v, 19—23, 36—39. 

" Jesus heard that they had cast him out: and when 
he had found him, he said unto him, Dost thou believe 
on the Son of God? He answered and said, Who is he, 
Lord, that I might believe on him? And Jesus said 
unto him, Thou hast both seen him, and it is he that 
talketh with thee. And he said, Lord, I believe. And 
he worshipped him. And Jesus said, For judgment I 
am come into this world; that they which see not might 
see, and that they which see, might be made blind." — 
John, ix, 35—39. 

"I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, 
and am known of mine. As the Father, knoweth me, 
even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for 
the sheep. And other sheep I have, which are not of 
this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear 
my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shep- 
herd. * * * jyjy s i iee p hear my voice, 
and I know them, and they follow me: and I give unto 
them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither 
shall any pluck them out of my hand. My Father, 
which gave them me, is greater than all; and none is 
able to pluck them out of my Father's hand. I and 
my Father are one."— John, x, 14—16, 27—30. 

" And while they abode in Galilee, Jesus said unto 
them, The Son of man shall be betrayed into the hands 
of men: and they shall kill him, and the third day 



26 



THE MEDIATION AND ATONEMENT. 



he shall be raised again. And they were exceeding 
sorry."— Matt., xvii, 22, 23. 

Of this same prophecy Mark relates: "And they de- 
parted thence, and passed through. Galilee; and he would 
not that any man should know it. For he taught his 
disciples, and said unto them, The Son of man is deliv- 
ered into the hands of men, and they shall kill him; 
and after that he is killed, he shall rise the third day. 
But they understood not that saying, and were afraid to 
ask him."— Mark, ix, 30—32. 

And Luke states, "And they were all amazed at 
the mighty power of God. But while they wondered 
every one at all things which Jesus did, he said unto 
his disciples, Let these sayings sink down into your 
ears: for the Son of man shall be delivered into the 
hands of men. But they understood not this saying, 
and it was hid from them, that they perceived it not, 
and they feared to ask him of that saying." — Luke, ix, 
43—45. 

"And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and 
blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, 
and said, Take, eat; this is my body. And he took 
the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying: 
Drink ye all of it; for this is my blood of the new 
testament, which is shed for many, for the remission of 
sins." — Matt., xxvi, 26—28. 

"And as they did eat, Jesus took bread, and blessed, 
and brake it, and gave to them, and said, Take, eat: 
this is my body. And he took the cup, and when he 
had given thanks, he gave it to ( them : and they all 
drank of it. And he said unto them, This is my 
blood of the new testament, which is shed for many." 
Mark, xiv, 22—24. 

"And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake 
it, and gave unto them, saying, This is my body which 
is given for you: this do in remembrance of me. Like- 
wise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the 
new testament in my blood, which is shed for you."— 
Luke, xxii, 19, 20. 



THE MEDIATION AND ATONEMENT. 



27 



"For the Son of man shall come in the glory of 
his Father, with his angels; and then he shall reward every 
man according to his works." — Matt., xvi, 27. 

"Take heed that ye despise not one of these little 
ones: for I say unto you, that in heaven their angels 
do always behold the face of. my Father which is in 
heaven. For the Son of man is come to save that 
which was lost, "—Matt., xviii, 10, 11. 

"Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, 
into a mountain where Jesus had appointed them. And 
when they saw him they worshipped him : but some 
doubted. And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, 
All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. 
Go ye therefore and teach all nations, baptizing them 
in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of 
the Holy Ghost; teaching them to observe all things 
whatsoever I have commanded you: and lo, I am with 
you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen." — 
Matt., xxviii, 16—20. 

"Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go 
away? Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom 
shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life. And 
we believe, and are sure that thou art that Christ, the 
Son of the living God."— John, vi, 67—69. 

"Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel 
and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken and by wicked 
hands have crucified and slain: whom God hath raised 
up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was 
not possible that he should be holden of it." — Acts, ii, 
23, 24. 

"This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are 
witnesses. Therefore being by the right hand of God 
exalted, and having received of the Father the promise 
of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye 
now see and hear. For David is not ascended into the 
, heavens, but he saith himself, The Lord said unto my 
Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, until I make thy 
foes thy footstool. Therefore let all the house of Israel 
know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus 



28 



THE MEDIATION AND ATONEMENT. 



whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.— Acts, 
ii, 32—36. 

"And now, brethren, I wot that through ignorance 
ye did it, as did also your rulers. But those things 
which God before had shewed by the mouth of all his 
prophets, that Christ should suffer, he hath so fulfilled. 
Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins 
may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall 
come from the presence of the Lord; and he shall send 
Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you; whom 
the heavens must receive, until the times of restitution 
of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of 
all his holy prophets, since the world began. For Moses 
truly said unto the fathers, A Prophet shall the Lord 
your God raise up unto you, of your brethren, like 
unto me; him shall ye hear in all things, whatsoever 
he shall say unto you. And it shall come to pass, that 
every soul which will not hear that Prophet, shall be 
destroyed from among the people. Yea, and all the 
prophets from Samuel, and those that follow after, as 
many as have spoken, have likewise foretold of these 
days."— Acts, iii, 17—24. 

Does it not seem from this that these men, having 
committed the infamous act of crucifying Jesus, or con- 
senting to His death, although they may have done it 
ignorantly, could not at that time, even by repentance 
and conversion, be placed in a state of salvation, but 
that they would have to wait until Jesus Christ should 
come again before their sins could be blotted out; when 
Jesus Christ should be sent, who before was preached 
unto them and whom they had crucified? Is not this 
the same condition that the antediluvians were in, when 
once the long suffering of God waited in the days of 
Noah, when they were cast into prison and remained 
there until the time when Jesus went and preached to 
those spirits in prison? In their day they rejected the . 
offers of mercy through the atonement of Jesus Christ, 
as the Jews did in their time; but afterwards they had 
the same Gospel preached to them by Jesus, and those 



THE MEDIATION AND ATONEMENT. 



29 



Jews who had participated in those deeds, or who had 
consented thereto, to whom the Apostle then spake, even 
if they then repented, would have to wait for forgive- 
ness and salvation until Jesus should come again. Fur- 
thermore, the Jews who will live in the times of the 
restitution in the last days, after the testimony of the 
Gospel . shall have gone to the Gentiles through this 
same atonement, and the introduction of the Gospel, 
will again have it preached to them on the earth, and 
will, through Him, the Elias, or restorer, be gathered 
again to their own land. 

"Be it known unto you all, and to all the people 
of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, 
whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, 
even by him doth this man stand here before you whole. 
This is the stone, which was set at naught of you 
builders, which is become the head of the corner. Nei- 
ther is there salvation in any other: for there is none 
other name under heaven given among men, whereby 
we must be saved." — Acts, iv, 10 — 12. 

"But he (Stephen), being full of the Holy Ghost, 
looked up steadfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of 
God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God, 
and said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the 
Son of man standing on the right hand of God." — Acts, 
vii, 55, 56. 

"The place of the Scripture which he read was this, 
He was led > as a sheep to the slaughter, and like a 
lamb dumb before his shearer, so opened he not his 
mouth; in his humiliation his judgment was taken away: 
and who shall declare his generation? for his life is 
taken from the earth." — Acts, viii, 32, 33. 

"Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all 
the flock over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you 
overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath 
purchased with his own blood." — Acts, xx, 28. 

"The next clay John seeth Jesus coming unto him, 
and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away 
the sin of the world! " — John, i, 29. 



30 



THE MEDIATION AND ATONEMENT. 



"For all have sinned, and come short of the glory 
of God; being justified freely by his grace, through the 
redemption that is in Christ Jesus: whom God hath set 
forth to be a propitiation, through faith in his blood, to 
declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that 
are past, through the forbearance of God." — Rom., iii, 
23—25. 

" But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if 
we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from 
the dead, who was delivered for our offences, and was 
raised again for our justification." — Rom., iv, 24, 25. 

" But God commendeth his love toward us, in that 
while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much 
more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall 
be saved from wrath through him. For if, when we 
were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death 
of his Son; much more, being reconciled, we shall be 
saved by his life. And not only so, but we also joy in 
God, through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have 
now received the atonement. Wherefore as by one man 
sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so 
death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned." 
—Rom., v, 8—12. 

" For I delivered unto you first of all that which 
I also received, how that Christ died for our sins 
according to the scriptures. And that he was buried, 
and that he rose again the third day according to the 
scriptures: and that he was seen of Cephas, then of the 
twelve: after that, he was seen of above five hundred 
brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto 
this present, but some are fallen asleep. After • that, he 
was seen of James; then of all the apostles. And last 
of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of 
due time. For I am the least of the apostles, that 
am not meet to be called an apostle, because I perse- 
cuted the church of God." — 1 Cor., xv, 3 — 9. 

"To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein 
he hath made us accepted in the Beloved: in whom we 
have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of 



THE MEDIATION AND ATONEMENT. 



31 



sins, according to the riches of his grace." — Ephesians, 

i, 6, 7. 

"Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made 
us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the Saints 
in light: who hath delivered us from the power of 
darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of 
his dear Son: in whom we have redemption through 
his blood, even the forgiveness of sins: who is the 
image of the invisible God, the first-born of every crea- 
ture. * * * And he is the head of 
the body, the church: who is the beginning, the first- 
born from the dead; that in all things he might have 
the pre-eminence. For it pleased the Father that in him 
should all fulness dwell; and, having made peace through 
the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things 
unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in 
earth, or things in heaven." — Col., i, 12 — 15, 18 — 20. 

From the above passage we learn that our redemp- 
tion is obtained through the blood of Jesus; that He 
is in the image of God; again, that He is "the first- 
born of every creature;" also that He is "the first-born 
from the dead;" and furthermore, that He stands pre- 
eminent as the representative of God in the interests of 
humanity pertaining to this world, or the world which 
is to come, and that He is the head of the Church, the 
Grand Medium through which all blessings flow to the 
human family. 

"Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy 
and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the 
rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. For in 
him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. 
And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all 
principality and power." — Col., ii, 8 — 10. 

"For there is one God, and one mediator between 
God and men, the man Christ Jesus; who gave himself 
a ransom for all, to be testified in due time." — 1 Tim., 

ii, 5, 6. 

" For unto which of the angels said he at any 
time, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee? 



32 



THE MEDIATION AND ATONEMENT. 



And again, I will be to him a Father, and he shall be 
to me a Son? And again, when he bringeth in the 
first-begotten into the world, he saith, And let all the 
angels of God worship him." — Heb., i, 5, 6. 

" Thou hast put all things in subjection under his 
feet. For in that he put all in subjection under him, 
he left nothing that is not put under him. But now 
we see not yet all things put under him: but we see 
Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for 
the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honor; 
that he by the grace of God should taste death for 
every man. For it became him, for whom are all 
things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many 
sons unto glory, to make the Captain of their salvation 
perfect through sufferings." — Heb., ii, 8 — 10. 

Here we have something said of the results accru- 
ing to the Redeemer Himself, through His sufferings and 
death. He stands next to the Father, "and is on the 
right hand of God; angels and authorities and powers 
being made subject unto him." (1 Peter, iii, 22.) Or 
as He elsewhere says of Himself, "All power is given 
unto me, in heaven and in earth." And again, it is 
written that He "forever sat down on the right hand 
of God; from henceforth expecting till his enemies be 
made his footstool;" and "that at the name of Jesus 
every knee shall bow, of things in heaven, and things 
in earth, and things under the earth; and that every 
tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the 
glory of God the Father." (Philippians, ii, 10, 11.) 

" For such an high priest became us, who is holy, 
harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made 
higher than the heavens; who needeth not daily, as 
those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own 
sins, and then for the people's: for this he did once, 
when he offered up himself For the law maketh men 
high priests which have infirmity; but the word of the 
oath, which was since the law, maketh the Son, who is 
consecrated forevermore." — Heb., vii, 26 — 28. 

There is something peculiar pertaining to the expres- 



THE MEDIATION AND ATONEMENT. 



33 



sion here used, " for evermore," which manifestly exhib- 
its an eternal principle. We find the same expression 
(as elsewhere alluded to) in the Pearl of Great Price. 
To Adam it was said, "Thou shalt clo all that thou 
doest, in the name of the Son. And thou shalt repent, 
and call upon God, in the name of the Son forever- 
more." The same principle continued both on the 
Asiatic and on this continent; and was recognized by all 
men of God holding the Melchisedec Priesthood, and 
will be recognized throughout all time until the final 
consummation of all things, when every knee shall bow ? 
and every tongue confess that Jesus is the Christ, to the 
glory of God, the Father. 

"Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by 
his own blood, he entered in once into the holy place, 
having obtained eternal redemption for us. For if the 
blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer 
sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of 
the flesh: how much more shall the blood of Christ, 
who through the eternal spirit offered himself without 
spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to 
serve the living God? * * * And 

almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and 
without shedding of blood is no remission." — Heb., ix, 
12—14, 22. 

" By the which will we are sanctified through the 
offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. And 
every priest standeth daily ministering and offering often- 
times the same sacrifices, which can never take away 
sins: but this man, after he had offered one sacrifice 
for sins, forever sat down on the right hand of God: 
from henceforth expecting till . his enemies be made his 
footstool. For by one* offering he hath perfected forever 
them that are sanctified." — Heb., x, 10 — 14. 

Or, as the thirteenth and fourteenth verses are ren- 
dered in the inspired translation: "But this man, after 
he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down 
on the right hand of God; from henceforth to reign 
until his enemies be made his footstool." 

3 



34 



THE MEDIATION AND ATONEMENT. 



" Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the 
Father, through sanctification of the spirit, unto obe- 
dience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: 
Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied. * * * 
Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with 
corruptible things as silver and gold, from your vain 
conversation received by tradition from your fathers; 
but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb 
without blemish and without spot: who verily was fore- 
ordained before the foundation of the world, but was 
manifest in these last times for you." — 1 Peter, i, 2> 
18—20. 

" For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the 
just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, 
being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the 
Spirit: by which also he went and preached unto the 
spirits in prison; which sometime were disobedient* 
when once the long-suffering of God waited in the days 
of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, 
that is, eight souls, were saved by water. The like figure 
whereunto, even baptism, doth also now save us, (not 
the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the 
answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resur- 
rection of Jesus Christ: who is gone into heaven, and 
is on the right hand of God; angels, and authorities, 
and powers, being made subject unto him." — 1 Peter, iii, 
18—22. 

" This then is the message which we have heard of 
him, and declare unto you, that God is light and in 
him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have 
fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and 
do not the truth; but if we walk in the light, as he 
is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, 
and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from 
all sin."— 1 John, i, 5—7. 

"And if any man sin, we have an advocate with 
the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: And he is the 
propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but 
also for the sins of the whole world." — 1 John, ii, 1, 2. 



THE MEDIATION AND ATONEMENT. 



35 



Or as it is written in the inspired translation, 
"But if any man sin and repent, we have an advo- 
cate," etc. 

" And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful Wit- 
ness, and the first-begotten of the dead, and the Prince 
of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, 
and washed us from our sins in his own blood."—- 
Rev., i, 5. 

" These things, ' saith the Amen, the faithful and 
true Witness, the beginning of the creation of God." — 
Rev., iii, 14. 

"And when he had taken the book, the four beasts, 
and four and twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, 
having every one of them harps, and golden vials full 
of odors, which are the prayers of saints. And they 
sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the 
book, and to open the seals thereof; for thou wast slain, 
and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of 
every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; and 
hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we 
shall reign on the earth." — Rev., v, 8 — 10. 

Thus it would seem that the redeemed of the Lord 
from all nations and peoples are indebted to the Lord 
Jesus Christ, through His atonement, for the position 
that they will occupy in the state of exaltation here 
referred to; and if they are exalted to be kings and 
priests unto God, it is through the ordinances which He 
has appointed for the accomplishment of this object, as 
the wise will understand. As regards the Book men- 
tioned in the above passage, an explanation thereof will 
be found in the Key to the Revelation of John. — Doc. 
and Cov., Sec. lxxvii, page 277. (Latest edition.) 

" And it was given unto him [the Dragon] to make 
war with the Saints, and to overcome them; and power 
was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and 
nations. And all that dwell upon the earth shall wor- 
ship him, whose names are not written in the book of 
life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the 
world." — Rev., xiii, 7, 8. 



36 



THE MEDIATION AND ATONEMENT. 



CHAPTER IV. 

Extracts from the Pearl of Great Price and Inspired Translation of 
Genesis— Record of Moses regarding Adam, Enoch, Noah, Abraham 
and Joseph, and of their faith in the Coming of the Savior. 

We shall now introduce some extracts from the 
Pearl of Great Price and the Inspired Translation of 
the Book of Genesis, which replace some of those parts, 
"plain and most precious," which are said to have been 
taken from the version of the Holy Scriptures known 
as King James' or the authorized version. These ex- 
tracts are taken from the revelations and writings of 
the Prophet Joseph Smith. 

"And God spake unto Moses, saying, Behold, I am 
the Lord God Almighty, and Endless is my name; for 
I am without beginning of days or end of years; and 
is not this Endless? And, behold, thou art my son; 
wherefore look, and I will show thee the workmanship 
of mine hands, but not all; for my works are without 
end, and also my words; for they never cease; where- 
fore, no man can behold all my works, except he behold 
all my glory; and no man can behold all my glory, 
and afterwards remain in the flesh on the earth. And 
I have a work for thee, Moses, my son; and thou art 
in the similitude of mine Only Begotten; and my Only 
Begotten is and shall be the Savior, for he is full of 
grace and truth; but there is no God beside me, and 
all things are present with me, for I know them all." 
— Pearl of Great Price. 

"And in that day the Holy Ghost fell upon Adam, 
which beareth record of the Father and the Son, saying, 
I am the Only Begotten of the Father from the begin- 
ning, henceforth and for ever, that as thou hast fallen 
thou mayest be redeemed; and all mankind, even as 
many as will." — Ibid. 



THE MEDIATION AND ATONEMENT. 



37 



"But God hath made known unto our fathers that 
all men must repent. And he called upon our father 
Adam by his own voice, saying, I am God: I made 
the world, and men before they were in the flesh. And 
he also said unto him, If thou wilt turn unto me, and 
hearken unto my voice, and believe, and repent of all 
thy transgressions, and be . baptized, even in water, in 
the name of mine Only Begotten Son, who is full of 
grace and truth, which is Jesus Christ, the only name 
which shall be given under heaven, whereby salvation 
shall come unto the children of men, ye shall receive 
the gift of the Holy Ghost, asking all things in his 
name, and whatsoever ye shall ask, it shall be given 
you. And our father Adam spake unto the Lord, and 
said, Why is it that men must repent and be baptized 
in water? And the Lord said unto Adam, Behold, I have 
forgiven thee thy transgression in the Garden of Eden. 
Hence came the saying abroad among the people, That 
the Son of God hath atoned for original guilt, wherein 
the sins of the parents cannot be answered upon the 
heads of the children, for they are whole from the 
foundation of the world." — Ibid. 

" Wherefore teach it unto your children, that all men, 
everywhere, must repent, or they can in no wise inherit 
the kingdom of God, for no unclean thing can dwell 
there, or dwell in his presence; for, in the language of 
Adam, Man of Holiness is his name; and the name of 
his Only Begotten, is the Son of Man, even Jesus Christ, 
a righteous Judge who shall come in the meridian of 
time. Therefore I give unto you a commandment, to 
teach these things freely unto your children, saying, That 
by reason of transgression cometh the fall, which fall 
bringeth death, and inasmuch as ye were born into the 
world by water, and blood, and the spirit, which I have 
made, and so became of dust a living soul, even so ye 
must be born again into the kingdom of heaven, of 
water, and of the Spirit, and be cleansed by blood, 
even the blood of mine Only Begotten; that ye might 
be sanctified from all sin, and enjoy the words of eter- 



38 



THE MEDIATION AND ATONEMENT. 



rial life in this world, and eternal life in the world to 
come, even immortal glory: For by the water ye keep 
the commandment; by the Spirit ye are justified, and 
by the blood ye are sanctified; therefore it is given to 
abide in you; the record of heaven; the Comforter; the 
peaceable things of immortal glory; the truth of all 
things; that which quickeneth all things, which maketh 
alive all things; that which knoweth all things, and 
hath all power, according to wisdom, mercy, truth, jus- 
tice, and judgment. And now, behold, I say unto you, 
This is the plan of salvation unto all men, through 
the blood of mine Only Begotten, who shall come in 
the meridian of time." — Ibid. 

" And he gave unto me [Enoch] a commandment 
that I should baptize in the name of the Father, and 
of the Son, who is full of grace and truth, and the 
Holy Ghost, which beareth record of " the Father and 
the Son."— Ibid. 

"And behold, Enoch saw the day of the coming of 
the Son of Man, even in the flesh; and his soul 
rejoiced, saying, The Righteous is lifted up, and the 
Lamb is slain from the foundation of the world; and 
through faith I am in the bosom of the Father, and' 
behold, Zion is with me!" — Ibid. 

" And great tribulations shall be among the children 
of men, but my people will I preserve; and righteous- 
ness will I send down out of heaven; and truth will I 
send forth out of the earth, to bear testimony of mine 
Only Begotten; his resurrection from the dead; yea, and 
also the resurrection of all men." — Ibid. 

" And it came to pass that Noah continued his 
preaching unto the people, saying, Hearken, and give 
heed unto my words; believe and repent of your sins, 
and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ, the Son 
of God, even as our fathers did, and ye shall receive 
the Holy Ghost, that ye may have all things made 
manifest; and if ye do not this, the floods will come 
in upon you." — Ibid. 

"And if thou shalt die, yet thou shalt possess it 



THE MEDIATION AND ATONEMENT. 



39 



[the land of Canaan], for the day cometh, that the Son 
of Man shall live; but how can he live, if he be not 
dead? He must first be quickened. And it came to 
pass that Abram looked forth and saw the days of the 
Son of Man, and was glad, and his soul found rest, and 
he believed in the Lord; and the Lord counted it unto 
him for righteousness." — Inspired Translation, Gen., xv, 
11, 12. 

"The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a 
lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come: and 
unto him shall the gathering of the people be." — Gen., 
xlix, 10. 

"The Lord hath visited me [Joseph], and I have 
obtained a promise of the Lord, that out of the fruit 
of my loins the Lord will raise up a righteous branch 
out of my loins; and unto thee, whom my father Jacob 
hath named Israel, a prophet; (not the Messiah who is 
called Shiloh;) and this prophet shall deliver my people 
out of Egypt in the days of thy bondage. And it shall 
come to pass that they shall be scattered again; and a 
branch shall be broken off, and shall be carried into a 
far country; nevertheless, they shall be remembered in 
the covenants of the Lord, when the Messiah cometh; 
for he shall be made manifest unto them in the latter 
days, in the spirit of power, and shall bring them out 
of darkness into light; out of hidden darkness, and out 
of captivity unto freedom." — Inspired Translation, Gen., 
1, 24, 25. 



40 



THE MEDIATION AND ATONEMENT. 



CHAPTER V. 

The Book of Mormon and the Atonement — Extracts from the Books 
of Ether, Nephi, Mosiah, Alma, Helaman and Mormon. 

We next quote from the Book of Mormon, making 
our selections in chronological order; first from the Book 
of Ether, and afterwards from the records of the 
Nephites. 

"And when he had said these words, behold, the 
Lord show r ed himself unto him [the brother of Jared], 
and said, Because thou knowest these things, ye are 
redeemed from the fall; therefore ye are brought back 
into my presence; therefore I show myself unto you. 
Behold, I am he who was prepared from the foundation 
of the world to redeem my people. Behold, 1 am Jesus 
Christ. I am the Father and the Son. In me shall all 
mankind have light, and that eternally, even they who 
shall believe on my name; and they shall become my 
sons and my daughters." — Ether, iii, 13, 14. 

"And then cometh the New Jerusalem; and blessed 
are they who dwell therein, for it is they whose gar- 
ments are white through the blood of the Lamb; and 
they are they who are numbered among the remnant of 
the seed of Joseph, who were of the house of Israel. 
And then also cometh the Jerusalem of old; and the 
inhabitants thereof, blessed are they, for they have been 
washed in the blood of the Lamb; and they are they 
who were scattered and gathered in from the four quar- 
ters of the earth, and from the north countries, and are 
partakers of the fulfilling of the covenant which God 
made with their father Abraham." — Ether, xiii, 10, 11. 

"Yea, even six hundred years from the time that 
my father left Jerusalem, a prophet would the Lord God 
raise up among the Jews; even a Messiah; or, in other 



THE MEDIATION AND ATONEMENT. 



41 



words, a Savior of the world. And he also spake con- 
cerning the prophets, how great a number had testified 
of these things, concerning this Messiah, of whom he had 
spoken, or this Redeemer of the world. Wherefore all 
mankind were in a lost and in a fallen state, and ever 
would be, save they should rely on this Redeemer. And 
he spake also concerning a prophet who should come 
before the Messiah to prepare the way of the Lord; 
yea, even he should go forth and cry in the wilderness, 
Prepare ye the way of the Lord, and make his paths 
straight; for there standeth one among you whom ye 
know not; and he is mightier than I, whose shoe's latchet 
I am not worthy to unloose. And much spake my 
father concerning this thing. And my father said he should 
baptize in Bethabary, beyond Jordan; and he also said he 
should baptize with water: even that he should baptize 
the Messiah with water. And after he had baptized the 
Messiah with water, he should behold and bear record, 
that he had baptized the Lamb of God, who should 
take away the sins of the world." — 1 Nephi, x, 4 — 10. 

"And it came to pass that the angel spake unto 
me again, saying, Look! And I looked and 'beheld the 
Lamb of God, that he was taken by the people; yea, 
the Son of the everlasting God was judged of the world; 
and I saw and bear record. And P, Nephi, saw that 
he was lifted up upon the cross, and slain for the sins 
of the world."— 1 Nephi, xi, 32, 33. 

"He doeth not anything, save it be for the benefit 
of the world; for he loveth the world, even that he 
layeth down his own life, that he may draw all men 
unto him. Wherefore he commandeth none that .they 
shall not partake of his salvation." — 2 Nephi, xxvi, 24. 

"Yea, I know that ye know, that in the body he 
shall show himself unto those at Jerusalem, from whence 
we came; for it is expedient that it should be among 
them; for it behoveth the great Creator that he suffereth 
himself to become subject unto man in the flesh, and 
die for all men, that all men might become subject unto 
him. For as death hath passed upon all men, to fulfil 



42 



THE MEDIATION AND ATONEMENT. 



the merciful plan of the great Creator, there must needs 
be a power of resurrection, and the resurrection must 
needs come unto man by reason of the fall; and the fall 
came by reason of transgression; and because man be- 
came fallen, they were cut off from the presence of the 
Lord."— 2 Nephi, ix, 5, 6. 

" Wherefore, I know that thou art redeemed because 
of the righteousness of thy Redeemer; for thou hast be- 
held, that in the fulness of time he cometh to bring 
salvation unto men. And thou hast beheld in thy youth 
his glory; wherefore thou art blessed even as they unto 
whom he shall minister in the flesh; for the Spirit is 
the same, yesterday, to-day, and forever. And the way 
is prepared from the fall of man, and salvation is free. 
And men are instructed sufficiently, that they know good 
from evil. And the law is given unto men. And by 
the law, no flesh is justified; or, by the law, men are 
cut off. Yea, by the temporal law, they were cut off; 
and also, by the spiritual law they perish from that 
which is good, and become miserable for ever. Where- 
fore, redemption cometh in and through the Holy Mes- 
siah; for he is full of grace and truth. Behold, he offer- 
eth himself a sacrifice for sin, to answer the ends of 
the law, unto all those who have a broken heart and a 
contrite spirit; and unto none else can the ends of the 
law be answered. Wherefore, how great the importance 
to make these things known unto the inhabitants of the 
earth, that they may know that there is no flesh that 
can dwell in the presence of God, save it be through 
the merits, and mercy, and grace of the Holy Messiah, 
who layeth down his life according to the flesh, and 
taketh it again by the power of the Spirit, that he may 
bring to pass the resurrection of the dead, being the 
first that should rise. Wherefore he is the first fruits 
unto God, inasmuch as he shall make intercession for all 
the children of men; and they that believe in him 
shall be saved. And because of the intercession for all, 
all men come unto God; wherefore, they stand in the 
presence of him, to be judged of him according to the 



« 

THE MEDIATION AND ATONEMENT. 



43 



truth and holiness which is in him. Wherefore, the 
ends of the law which the Holy One hath given, unto 
the inflicting of the punishment which is affixed, which 
punishment that is affixed is in opposition to that of 
the happiness which is affixed, to answer the ends of 
the atonement; for it must needs be, that there is an 
opposition in all things. If not so, my first-born in the 
wilderness, righteousness could not be brought to pass; 
neither wickedness; neither holiness nor misery; neither 
good nor bad. Wherefore, all things must needs be a 
compound in one; wherefore, if it should be one body, 
it must needs remain as dead, having no life, neither 
death, nor corruption nor incorruption, happiness nor 
misery, neither sense nor insensibility. Wherefore, it 
must needs have been created for a thing of naught; 
wherefore, there would have been no purpose in the end 
of its creation. Wherefore, this thing must needs des- 
troy the wisdom of God, and his eternal purposes; and 
also, the power, and the mercy, and the justice of God. 
And if ye shall say there is no law, ye shall also say there is 
no sin. If ye shall say there is no sin, ye shall also 
say there is no righteousness. And if there be no 
righteousness, there be no happiness. And if there be 
no righteousness nor happiness, there be no punishment 
nor misery. And if these things are not, there is no 
God. And if there is no God, we are not, neither the 
earth; for there could have been no creation of things, 
neither to act nor to be acted upon; wherefore, all 
things must have vanished away. And now, my sons, 
I speak unto you these things, for your profit and learn- 
ing; for there is a God, and he hath created all things, 
both the heavens and the earth, and all things that in 
them is; both things to act, and things to be acted 
upon. And to bring about his eternal purposes in the 
end of man, after he had created our first parents, and 
the beasts of the field and the fowls of the air, and in 
fine, all things which are created, it must needs be that 
there was an opposition; even the forbidden fruit in 
opposition to the tree of life: the one being sweet and 



44 



THE MEDIATION AND ATONEMENT. 



the other bitter; wherefore, the Lord God gave unto 
man that he should act for himself. Wherefore, man 
could not act for himself, save it should be that he was 
enticed by the one or the other. And I, Lehi, accord- 
ing to the things which I have read, must needs sup- 
pose, that an angel of God, according to that which is 
written, had fallen from heaven: wherefore, he became 
a devil, having sought that which was evil before God. 
And because he had fallen from heaven, and had 
become miserable for ever, he sought also the misery of 
all mankind. Wherefore, he said unto Eve, yea, even 
that old serpent, who is the devil, who is the father of 
all lies; wherefore he said, Partake of the forbidden 
fruit, and ye shall not die, but ye shall be as God, 
knowing good and evil. And after Adam and Eve had 
partaken of the forbidden fruit, they were driven out of 
the garden of Eden, to till the earth. And they have 
brought forth .children; yea, even the family of all the 
earth. And the days of the children of men were pro- 
longed, according to the will of God, that they might 
repent while in the flesh; wherefore, their state became 
a state of probation, and their time was lengthened, 
according to the commandments which the Lord God 
gave unto the children of men. For he gave command- 
ment that all men must repent; for he shewed unto all 
men that they were lost, because of the transgression of 
their parents. — 2 Nephi, ii, 3 — 21. 

"And now, my brethren, I have spoken plain, that 
ye cannot err; and as the Lord God liveth that brought 
Israel up out of the land of Egypt, and gave unto 
Moses power that he should heal the nations, after they 
had been bitten by the poisonous serpents, if they would 
cast their eyes unto the serpent which he did raise up 
before them, and also gave him power that he should 
smite the rock, and the water should come forth; yea, 
behold I say unto you, that as these things are true, and 
as the Lord God liveth, there is none other name given 
under heaven, save it be this Jesus Christ of whom I 
have spoken, whereby man can be saved. Wherefore, for 



THE MEDIATION AND ATONEMENT. 



45 



this cause hath the Lord God promised unto me that these 
things which I write, shall be kept and preserved, and 
handed down unto my seed, from generation to genera- 
tion, that the promise may be fulfilled unto Joseph, that 
his seed should never perish as long as the earth should 
stand. Wherefore, these things shall go from generation 
to generation as long as the earth shall stand; and they 
shall go according to the will and pleasure of God; and 
the nations who shall possess them shall be judged of them 
according to the words which are written; for we labor 
diligently to write, to persuade our children, and also 
our brethren, to believe in Christ, and to be reconciled 
to God; for we know that it is by grace that we are 
saved, after all we can do. And notwithstanding we 
believe in Christ, we keep the law of Moses, and look 
forward with steadfastness unto Christ, until the law shall 
be fulfilled; for, for this end was the law given; where- 
fore, the law hath become dead unto us, and we are 
made alive in Christ, because of our faith; yet we keep 
the law because of the commandments; and we talk of 
Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we 
prophesy of Christ, and we write according to our pro- 
phecies, that our children may know to what source they 
may look for a remission of their sins. Wherefore, we 
speak concerning the law, that our children may know 
the cleadness of the law; and they, by knowing the dead- 
ness of the law, may look forward unto that life which 
is in Christ, and know for what end the law was given- 
And after the law is fulfilled in Christ, that they need 
not harden their hearts against him, when the law ought 
to be done away." — 2 Nephi, xxv, 20 — 27. 

The reference, in the above quotation, to the serpent 
which Moses raised up before the children of Israel in 
the wilderness, directly confirms the statement of our 
Savior : 

"And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilder- 
ness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up; that 
whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have 
eternal life." — John, iii, 14, 15. 



46 



THE MEDIATION AND ATONEMENT. 



We now return to our extracts from the Book of 
Mormon. King Benjamin teaches: 

"For behold, the time cometh, and is not far distant, 
that with power, the Lord Omnipotent, who reigneth, 
who was and is from all eternity to all eternity, 
shall come down from heaven, among the children of 
men, and shall dwell in a tabernacle of clay, and 
shall go forth amongst men, working mighty miracles, 
such as healing the sick, raising the dead, causing the 
lame to walk, the blind to receive their sight, and the 
deaf to hear, and curing all manner of diseases; and 
he shall cast out devils, or the evil spirits which dwell 
in the hearts of the children of men. And lo, he 
shall suffer temptations, and pain of body, hunger, thirst, 
and fatigue, even more than man can suffer, except it be 
unto death: for behold, blood cometh from every pore, so 
great shall be his anguish for the wickedness and the 
abominations of his people. And he shall be called 
Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Father of heaven and 
earth, the Creator of all things, from the beginning; 
and his mother shall be called Mary. And lo, he 
cometh unto his own, that salvation might come unto 
the children of men, even through faith on his name; 
and even after all this, they shall consider him a man, 
and say that he hath a devil, and shall scourge him, 
and shall crucify him. And he shall rise the third 
day from the dead; and behold, he standeth to judge 
the world; and behold, all these things are done, that 
a righteous judgment might come upon the children of 
men. For behold, and also his blood atcneth for the 
sins of those who have fallen by the transgression of 
Adam, who have died, not knowing the will of God 
concerning them, or who have ignorantly sinned. But 
wo, wo unto him who knoweth that he rebelleth against 
God; for salvation cometh to none such, except it 
be through repentance and faith on the Lord Jesus 
Christ. And the Lord God hath sent his holy prophets , 
among all the children of men, to declare these things 
to every kindred, nation, and tongue, that thereby who- 



THE MEDIATION AND ATONEMENT. 



47 



soever should believe that Christ should come, the same 
might receive remission of their sins, and rejoice with 
exceeding great joy, even as though he had already come 
among them. Yet the Lord God saw that his people 
were a stiffnecked people, and he appointed unto them 
a law, even the law of Moses. And many signs, and 
wonders, and types, and shadows shewed he unto them, 
concerning his coming; and also holy prophets spake 
unto them concerning his coming; and yet they hardened 
their hearts, and understood not that the law of Moses 
availeth nothing, except it were through the atonement 
of his blood. And even if it were possible that little 
children could sin, they could not be saved: but I say 
unto you they are blessed; for behold, as in Adam, or 
by nature they fall, even so the blood of Christ atoneth 
for their sins. And moreover, I say unto you, that there 
shall be no other name given, nor any other way nor 
means whereby salvation can come unto the children of 
men, only in and through the name of Christ, the 
Lord Omnipotent. For behold he judgeth, and his judg- 
ment is just; and the infant perisheth not that dieth 
in his infancy; but men drink damnation to their own 
souls, except they humble themselves and become as 
little children, and believe that salvation was, and is, 
and is to come, in and through the atoning blood of 
Christ, the Lord Omnipotent; for the natural man is 
an enemy to God, and has been from the fall of Adam, 
and will be, for ever and ever; but if he yields to the 
enticings of the Holy Spirit, and putteth off the natural 
man, and becometh a saint, through the atonement of 
Christ the Lord, and becometh as a child, submissive, 
meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit 
to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon 
him, even as a child doth submit to his father. And 
moreover, I say unto you, that the time shall come, 
when the knowledge of a Savior shall spread through- 
out every nation, kindred, tongue, and people. And 
behold, when that time cometh, none shall be found 
blameless before God, except it be little children only 



4S 



THE MEDIATION AND ATONEMENT. 



through repentance and faith on the name ox the Lord 
God Omnipotent," — Mosiah, iii, 5 — 21. 

"And now, it came to pass that when king Benjamin 
had made an end of speaking the words which had 
been delivered unto him by the angel of the Lord, 
that he cast his eyes round about on the multitude, 
and behold they had fallen to the earth, for the fear 
of the Lord had come upon them; and they had 
viewed themselves in their own carnal state, even less 
than the dust of the earth. And they all cried aloud 
with one voice, saying, 0 have mercy, and apply the 
atoning blood of Christ, that we may receive forgiveness 
of our sins, and our hearts may be purified; for we 
believe in Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who created 
heaven and earth, and all things; who shall come down 
among the children of men. And it came to pass that 
after they had spoken these words, the Spirit of the 
Lord came upon them, and they were rilled with joy, 
having received a remission of their sins, and having 
peace of conscience, because of the exceeding faith which 
they had in Jesus Christ who should come, according to 
the words which king Benjamin had spoken unto them. 
And king Benjamin again opened his mouth, and began 
to speak unto them, saying, My friends and my brethren, 
my kindred and my people, I would again call your atten- 
tion, that ye may hear and understand the remainder of 
my words which I shall speak unto you; for behold, if the 
knowledge of the goodness of God at this time has awakened 
you to a sense of your nothingness, and your worthless 
and fallen state; I say unto you, if ye have come to a 
knowledge of the goodness of God, and his matchless 
power, and his wisdom, and his patience, and his long 
suffering towards the children of men, and also, the 
atonement which has been prepared from the founda- 
tion of the world, that thereby salvation might come to 
him that should put his trust in the Lord, and should be 
diligent in keeping his commandments, and continue in the 
faith even unto the end of his life; I mean the life of the 
mortal body; I say that this is the man who receiveth 



THE MEDIATION AND ATONEMENT. 



49 



salvation, through the atonement which was prepared from 
the foundation of the world for all mankind, which ever 
were ever since the fall of Adam, or who are, or who- 
ever shall be, even unto the end of the world; and this 
is the means whereby salvation cometh. And there is 
none other salvation, save this which hath been spoken 
of; neither are there any conditions whereby man can 
be saved, except the conditions which I have told you." — 
Mosiah, iv, 1—8. 

"And now Abinadi said unto them, I would that 
ye should understand that God himself shall come down 
among the children of men, and shall redeem his peo- 
ple; and because he dwelleth in flesh, he shall be 
called the Son of God: and having subjected the flesh 
to the will of the Father, being the Father and the 
Son; the Father, because he was conceived by the 
power of God; and the Son, because of the flesh, thus 
becoming the Father and Son: And they are one God, 
yea, the very eternal Father of heaven and of earth; 
and thus the flesh becoming subject to the Spirit, or 
the Son to the Father, being one God, suflereth temp- 
tation, and yieldeth not to the temptation, but suffereth 
himself to be mocked, and scourged, and cast out, and 
disowned by his people. And after all this, after work- 
ing many mighty miracles among the children of men, 
he shall be led, yea, even as Isaiah said, As a sheep 
before the shearer is dumb, so he opened not his 
mouth; yea, even so he shall be led, crucified, and 
slain, the flesh becoming subject even unto death, the 
will of the Son being swallowed up in the will of the 
Father; and thus God break eth the bands of death, 
having gained the victory over death; giving the Son 
power to make intercession for the children of men: 
having ascended into heaven; having the bowels of 
mercy; being filled with compassion towards the children 
of men; standing betwixt them and justice; having 
broken the bands of death, taken upon himself their 
iniquity and their transgressions: having redeemed them, 
and satisfied the demands of justice." — Mosiah, xv, 1-9. 

4 



50 



THE MEDIATION AND ATONEMENT. 



'"And now it came to pass that after Abinadi had 
spoken these words, he stretched forth his hand and 
said, The time shall come when all shall see the salva- 
tion of the Lord; when every nation, kindred, tongue 
and people shall see eye to eye, and shall confess before 
God that his judgments are just; and then shall the 
wicked be cast out, and they shall have cause to howl, 
and weep, and wail, and gnash their teeth; and this 
because they would not hearken unto the voice of the 
Lord; therefore the Lord redeemeth them not, for they 
are carnal and devilish, and the devil has power over 
them; yea, even that old serpent that did beguile our 
first parents, which was the cause of their fall: which 
was the cause of all mankind becoming carnal, sensual, 
devilish, knowing evil from good; subjecting themselves 
to the devil. Thus all mankind were lost; and behold, 
they would have been endlessly lost, were it not that 
God redeemed his people from their lost and fallen state. 
But remember, that he that persists in his own carnal 
nature, and goes on in the ways of sin and rebellion 
against God, remaineth in his fallen state, and the devil 
hath all power over him. Therefore he is as though 
there Avas no redemption made; being an enemy to God; 
and also is the devil an enemy of God. And now if 
Christ had not come into the world, speaking of things 
to come, as though they had already come, there could 
have been no redemption. And if Christ had not risen 
from the dead, or have broken the bands of death, that 
the grave should have no victory, and that death should 
have no sting, there could have been no resurrection. 
But there is a resurrection, therefore the grave hath no 
victory, and the sting of death is swallowed up in Christ: 
he is the light and the life of the world; yea, a light 
that is endless, that can never be darkened; yea, and 
also a life which is endless, that there can be no more 
death. Even this mortal shall put on immortality, and 
this corruption shall put on incorruption, and shall be 
brought to stand before the bar of God, to be judged 
of him according to their works, whether they be good 



THE MEDIATION AND ATONEMENT. 



51 



or whether they be evil. If they be good, to the resur- 
rection of endless life and happiness, and if they be 
evil, to the resurrection of endless damnation; being deliv- 
ered up to the devil, who hath subjected them, which is 
damnation; having gone according to their own carnal 
wills and desires; having never called upon the Lord 
while the arms of mercy were extended towards them; 
for the arms of mercy were extended towards them; 
and they would not; they being warned of their iniqui- 
ties, and yet they would not depart from them; and 
they were commanded to repent, and yet they would not 
repent. And now had ye not ought to tremble and repent 
of your sins, and remember only in and through Christ 
ye can be saved ? Therefore, if ye teach the law of 
Moses, also teach that it is a shadow of those, things 
which are to come; teach them that redemption cometh 
through Christ the Lord, who is the very eternal Father. * 
Amen." — Mosiah, xvi, 1 — 15. 

"But behold, the Spirit hath said this much unto 
me, saying: Cry unto this people, saying, Repent ye, 
and prepare the way of the Lord, and walk in his 
paths, which are straight: for behold, the kingdom of 
heaven is at hand, and the Son of God cometh upon 
the face of the earth. And behold, he shall he born 
of Mary, at Jerusalem, which is the land of our fore- 
fathers, she being a virgin, a precious and chosen vessel, 
who shall be overshadowed, and conceive by the power 
of the Holy Ghost, and bring forth a son, yea, even 
the Son of God; and he shall go forth, suffering pains 
and afflictions, and temptations of every kind; and this 
that the word might be fulfilled which saith, He will 
take upon him the pains and the sicknesses of his peo- 
ple; and he will take upon him death, that he may 
loose the bands of death which bind his people: and 
he will take upon him their infirmities, that his bowels 
may he filled with mercy, according to the flesh, that 
he may know according to the flesh how to succor his 
people according to their infirmities. Now the Spirit 
knoweth all things; nevertheless, the Son of God sufTereth 



52 



THE MEDIATION AND ATONEMENT. 



according to the flesh, that he might take upon him 
the sins of his people, that he might blot out their 
transgressions, according to the power of his deliverance; 
and now behold, this is the testimony which is in 
me."— Alma, vii, 9—13. 

"Now Zeezrom said unto the people, See that ye 
remember these things; for he said there is but one 
God; yet he saith that the Son of God shall come, but 
he shall not save his people, as though he had author- 
ity to command God. Now Amulek saith again unto 
him, Behold, thou hast lied, for thou sayest that I spake 
as though I had authority to command God, because I 
said he shall not save his people in their sins. And. I 
say unto you again, that he cannot save them in their 
sins; for I cannot deny his word, and he hath said 
that no unclean thing can inherit the kingdom of 
heaven; therefore, how can ye be saved, except ye 
inherit the kingdom of heaven? Therefore, ye cannot 
be saved in your sins. Now Zeezrom saith again unto 
him, Is the son of God the very eternal Father? And 
Amulek said unto him, Yea, he is the very eternal 
Father of heaven and of earth, and all things which 
in them is; he is the beginning and the end, the first 
and the last; and he shall come into the world to 
redeem his people; and he shall take upon him the 
transgressions of those who believe on his name; and 
these are they that shall have eternal life, and salvation 
cometh to none else; therefore, the wicked remain as 
though there had been no redemption made, except it 
be the loosing of the bands of death; for behold, the 
day cometh that all shall rise from the dead and stand 
before God, and be judged according to their works. 
Now, there is a death which is called a temporal death: 
and the death of Christ shall loose the bands of this 
temporal death, that all shall be raised from this tem- 
poral death; the spirit and the body shall be re-united 
again in its perfect form; both limb and joint shall be 
restored to its proper frame, even as we now are at 
this time; and we shall be brought to stand before God, 



THE MEDIATION AND ATONEMENT. 



53 



knowing even as we know now, and have a bright 
recollection of all our guilt. Now this restoration shall 
come to all, both old and young, both bond and free, 
both male and female, both the wicked and the righteous,* 
and even there shall not so much as a hair of 
their heads be lost; but all things shall be restored to 
its perfect frame, as it is now, or in the body, and 
shall be brought and be arraigned before the bar of 
Christ the Son, and God the Father, and the Holy 
Spirit, which is one eternal God, to be judged accord- 
ing to their works, whether they be good or whether 
they be evil." — Alma, xi, 35 — 44. 

"Now I say unto you, that ye must repent, and be 
born again: for the Spirit saith, If ye are not born 
again, ye cannot inherit the kingdom of heaven; there- 
fore come and be baptized unto repentance, that ye may 
be washed from your sins, that ye may have faith on the 
Lamb of God, who taketh away the sins of the world, 
who is mighty to save and to cleanse from all un- 
righteousness." — Alma, vii, 14. 

"And the angel said unto me, Look ! And I looked, 
and beheld three generations pass away in righteousness; 
and their garments were white, even like unto the Lamb 
of God. And the angel said unto me, These are made 
white in the blood of the Lamb, because of their faith 
in him." — 1 Nephi, xii, 11. 

"Therefore they were called after this holy order, and 
were sanctified, and their garments were washed white 
through the blood of the Lamb."— -Alma, xiii, 11. 

"And this I know, because the Lord hath said,. 
He dwelleth not in unholy temples, but in the hearts 
of the righteous doth he dwell; yea, and he has also 
said, That the righteous shall sit down in his kingdom, 
to go no more out: but their garments should be 
made white, through the blood of the Lamb." —Alma, 
xxxiv, 36. 

"0 then, ye unbelieving, turn ye unto the Lord; cry 
mightily unto the Father in the name of Jesus, that 
perhaps ye may be found spotless, pure, fair and white, 



54 



THE MEDIATION AND ATONEMENT. 



having been cleansed by the blood of the Lamb, at that 
great and last day." — Mormon, ix, 6. 

"Behold, I giye unto you a sign; for five years more 
cometh, and behold, then cometh the Son of God to 
redeem all those who shall believe on his name." — Hela- 
man, xiv, 2. 

"For behold, he must surely die, that salvation may 
come; yea, it behoveth him, and becometh expedient that 
he dieth, to bring to pass the resurrection of the dead, 
that thereby men may be brought into the presence of 
the Lord; yea, behold this death bringeth to pass the 
resurrection, and redeemeth all mankind from the first 
death — that spiritual death; for all mankind by the fall 
of Adam, being cut off from the presence of the Lord, 
are considered as dead, both as to things temporal and 
things spiritual. But behold, the resurrection of Christ 
redeemeth mankind, yea, even all mankind, and bringeth 
them back into the presence of the Lord." — Helaman, 
xiv, 15—17. 

"Arise and come forth unto me, that ye may thrust 
your hands into my side, and also that ye may feel the 
print of the nails in my hands, and in my feet, that ye 
may know that I am the God of Israel, and the God of 
the whole earth, and have been slain for the sins of the 
world."— 3 Nephi, xi, 14. 

"Behold, he created Adam, and by Adam came the 
fall of man. And because of the fall of man, came Jesus 
Christ, even the Father and the Son; and because of 
Jesus Christ came the redemption of man. And because 
of the redemption of man, which came by Jesus Christ) 
they are brought back into the presence of the Lord; 
yea, this is wherein all men are redeemed, because the 
death of Christ bringeth to pass the resurrection, which 
bringeth to pass a redemption from an endless sleep, 
from which sleep all men shall be awoke by the power 
of God when the trump shall sound; and they shall 
come forth, both small and great, and all shall stand 
before his bar, being redeemed and loosed from this eter- 
nal band of death, which death is a temporal death; and 



THE MEDIATION AND ATONEMENT. 



55 



then cometh the judgment of the Holy One upon them, 
and then cometh the time that he that is filthy shall 
he filthy still; and he that is righteous shall be righteous 
still; he that is happy shall be happy still; and he that 
is unhappy shall be unhappy still. — Mormon, ix, 12 — 14. 



CHAPTER VI. 

Extracts from the Book of Doctrine and Covenants— Christ's Testimony 
of Himself, of His Power and Calling, etc.— Testimony of Joseph 
Smith and Sidney Rigdon— Record of John the Baptist— Extract 
from a Sermon by President Brigham Young. 

We now turn to the Book of Doctrine and Cove- 
nants : 

" Behold, I am Jesus Christ, the Son of God. I am 
the same that came unto my own, and my own received 
me not. I am the light which shineth in darkness, and 
the darkness comprehendeth it not." — Sec. vi, 21, p. 91. 

"Behold, I am Jesus Christ, the Son of the living 
God, who created the heavens and the earth; a light 
which cannot be hid in darkness." — Sec. xiv, 9, p. 109. 

"Remember the worth of souls is great in the sight 
of God; for, behold, the Lord your Redeemer suffered 
death in the flesh; wherefore, he suffered the pain of 
all men, that all men might repent and come unto him. 
And he hath risen again from the dead, that he might 
bring all men unto him, on conditions of repentance/' 
Sec. xviii, 10—12, p. 114. 

"I am Alpha and Omega, Christ the Lord; yea, even 
1 am He, the beginning and the end, the Redeemer of 
the world. I, having accomplished and finished the will 
of him whose I am, even the Father, concerning me — 



56 



THE MEDIATION AND ATONEMENT. 



having done this that I might subdue all things unto 
myself."— Sec. xix, 1, 2, p. 117. 

"I am Jesus Christ: I came by the will of the 
Father, and I do his will."— Sec. xix, 24, p. 119. 

"For, behold, I will bless all those who labor in my 
vineyard with a mighty blessing, and they shall believe 
on his words, which are given him through me by the 
Comforter, which manifesteth that Jesus was crucified by 
sinful men for the sins of the world, yea, for the re- 
mission of sins unto the contrite heart." — Sec. xxi, 9, p. 
131. 

"Listen to the voice of Jesus Christ, your Redeemer, 
the great I AM, whose arm of mercy hath atoned for 
your sins." — Sec. xxix, 1, p. 142. 

"Be faithful unto the end, and lo, I am with you. 
These words are not of man, nor of men, but of me, 
even Jesus Christ, your Redeemer, by the will of the 
Father. Amen." — Sec. xxxi, 13, p. 151. 

"My son Orson, hearken and hear and behold what 
I, the Lord God, shall say unto you, even Jesus Christ 
your Redeemer; the light and the life of the world; a 
light which shineth in darkness, and the darkness com- 
prehendeth it not; who so loved the world that he gave 
his own life, that as many as would believe might be- 
come the sons of God: wherefore you are my son." — 
Sec. xxxiv, 1 — 3, pp. 153-4. 

"Listen to the voice of the Lord your God, even 
Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, whose 
course is one eternal round, the same to-day as yesterday, 
and forever. I am Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who 
was crucified for the sins of the "world, even as many as 
will believe on my name, that they may become the 
sons of God, even one in me as I am in the Father, 
as the Father is one in me, that we may be one." — 
Sec. xxxv, 1, 2, p. 155. 

"Thus saith the Lord your God, even Jesus Christ, 
the great I AM, Alpha and Omega, the beginning and 
the end, the same which looked upon the wide expanse 
of eternity, and all the seraphic hosts of heaven, before 



THE MEDIATION AND ATONEMENT. 



57 



the world was made: the same which knoweth all 
things, for all things are present before mine eyes: I 
am the same which spake, and the world was made, 
and all things came by me: I am the same which 
have taken the Zion of Enoch into mine own bosom; 
and verily, 1 say, even as many as have believed in 
my name, for I am Christ, and in mine own name, 
by the virtue of the blood which I have- spilt, have I 
pleaded before the Father for them; but behold, the 
residue of the wicked have I kept in chains of dark- 
ness until the judgment of the great day; which shall 
come at the end of the earth." — Sec. xxxviii, 1 — 5, 
pp. 159, 160. 

"Hearken and listen to the voice of him who is 
from all eternity to all eternity, the great I AM, even 
Jesus Christ, the light and the life of the world; a light 
which shineth in darkness and the darkness compre- 
hendeth it not: the same which came in the meridian 
of time unto my own. and my own received me not." — 
Sec. xxxix, 1 — 3, p. 164. 

Listen to him who is the Advocate with the Father } 
who is pleading your cause before him, saying, Father, 
behold the sufferings and death of him who did no 
sin, in whom thou wast well pleased; behold the blood 
of thy Son which was shed — the blood of him whom thou 
gavest that thyself might be glorified; wherefore, Father, 
spare these my brethren that believe on my name, that 
they may come unto me and have everlasting life." — 
Sec. xlv, 3—5, p. 183. 

"To some it is given by the Holy Ghost to know 
that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, and that he was 
crucified for the sins of the world; to others it is given 
to believe on their words, that they also might have 
eternal life if they continue faithful." — Sec. xlvi, 13, 14, 
p. 192. 

"Hear 0 ye heavens, and give ear 0 earth, and 
rejoice ye inhabitants thereof, for the Lord is God, and^ 
beside him there is no Savior: Great is his wisdom, and 
marvellous are his ways, and the extent of his doings 



58 



THE MEDIATION AND ATONEMENT. 



none can find out; his purposes fail not, neither are 
there any who can stay his hand; from eternity to 
eternity he is the same, and his years never fail." — 
Sec. lxxvi, 1—4, p. 265. 

"By the power of the Spirit our eyes were opened 
and our understandings were enlightened, so as to see 
and understand the things of God— even those things 
which were from the beginning before the world was, 
which were ordained of the Father, through his Only 
Begotten Son, who was in the bosom of the Father, 
even from the beginning, of whom we bear record, and 
the record which we bear is the fulness of the gospel 
of Jesus Christ, who is the Sod, whom we saw and 
with whom we conversed in heavenly vision." — Sec. lxxvi, 
12—14, p. 266. 

"And while we meditated upon these things, the 
Lord touched the eyes of our understandings and they 
were opened, and the glory of the Lord shone round 
about; and we beheld the glory of the Son, on the 
right hand of the Father, and received of his fulness; 
and saw the holy angels and they who are sanctified 
before his throne, worshiping God, and the Lamb, who 
worship him for ever and ever. And now, after the 
many testimonies which have been given of him, this 
is the testimony last of all, which we give of him, 
that he lives; for we saw him, even on the right hand 
of God, and we heard the voice .bearing record that he 
is the Only Begotten of the Father — that by him and 
through him, and of him the worlds are and were 
created, and the inhabitants thereof are begotten 
sons and daughters unto God." — Sec. lxxvi, 19 — 24, 
p. 266, 267. 

"That he came into the world, even Jesus, to be 
crucified for the world, and to bear the sins of the 
world, and to sanctify the world, and to cleanse it 
from all unrighteousness; that through him all might 
be saved whom the Father had put into his power and 
made by him, who glorifies the Father, and saves all 
the works of his hands, except those sons of perdition, 



THE MEDIATION AND ATONEMENT. 



59 



who deny the Son after the Father has revealed him." — 
Sec. lxxvi, 41—43, p. 268-9. 

"These are they whose names are written in heaven, 
where God and Christ are the judge of all. These are 
they who are just men made perfect through Jesus the 
mediator of the new covenant, who wrought out this 
perfect atonement through the shedding of his own 
blood."— Sec. lxxvi, 68, 69, p. 271. 

"Verily, thus saith the Lord, it shall come to pass 
that every soul who forsaketh their sins and cometh unto 
me, and calleth on my name, and obeyeth my voice, and 
keepeth my commandments, shall see my face and know 
that I am, and that I am the true light that lighteth 
every man that cometh into the world; and that I am 
in the Father, and the Father in me, and the Father 
and I are one: the Father because he gave me of his 
fulness, and the Son because I was in the world and 
made 'flesh my tabernacle, and dwelt among the sons of 
men. I was in the world and received of my Father, 
and the works of him were plainly manifest; and John 
saw and bore record of the fulness of my glory, and 
the fulness of John's record is hereafter to be revealed. 
* * * And I, John, saw that he received 

not of the fulness at the first, but received grace for 
grace: and he received not of the fulness at first, but 
continued from grace to grace, until he received a ful- 
ness; and thus he was called the Son of God, because 
he received not of the fulness at the first. And I, John, 
bear record, and lo, the heavens were opened, and the 
Holy Ghost descended upon him in the form of a dove, 
and sat upon him, and there came a voice out of 
heaven saying, This is my beloved Son. And I, John, 
bear record that he received a fulness of the glory of 
the Father; and he received all power, both in heaven 
and on earth, and the glory of the Father was with him, 
for he dwelt in him."— Sec. xciii, 1—6, 12—17, pp. 328-9. 

"But, behold, I say unto you, that little children are 
redeemed from the foundation of the world through mine 
Only Begotten."— Sec. xxix, 46, p. 147. 



60 



THE MEDIATION AND ATONEMENT. 



"Every spirit of man was innocent in the begin- 
ning, and God having redeemed man from the fall, men 
became again in their infant state, innocent before God.' 1 
Sec. xciii, 38, p. 331. 

"And then shall the Lord set his foot upon this 
mount, and it shall cleave in twain, and the earth 
shall tremble and reel to and fro, and the heavens 
also shall shake, and the Lord shall utter his voice, 
and all the ends of the earth shall hear it; and the 
nations of the earth shall mourn, and they that have 
laughed shall see their folly, and calamity shall cover 
the mocker, and the scorner shall be consumed, and 
they that have watched for iniquity shall be hewn 
down and cast into the fire. And then shall 
the Jews look upon me and say, What are these 
wounds in thine hands and in thy feet? Then shall 
they know that I am the Lord; for I will say unto 
them, These wounds are the wounds with which I was 
wounded in the house of my friends. I am he who 
was lifted up. I am Jesus that was crucified. I am 
the Son of God. • And then shall they weep because of 
their iniquities; then shall they lament because they 
persecuted their King. And then shall the heathen 
nations be redeemed, and they that knew no law shall 
have part in the first resurrection; and it shall be 
tolerable for them; and Satan shall be bound that he 
shall have no place in the hearts of the children of 
men."— Sec. xlv, 48—55, p. 187-8. 

From a discourse by President Brigham Young, August 
8, 1852: 

"Christ is the Author of this Gospel, of this earth, 
of men and women, of all the posterity of Adam and 
Eve, and of every living creature that lives upon the 
face of the earth, that flies in the heavens, that swims 
in the waters, or dwells in the field. Christ is the Author 
of salvation to all this creation, to all things pertaining 
to this terrestrial globe we occupy." 



THE MEDIATION AND ATONEMENT. 



Gl 



CHAPTER VII. 

Introduction to the Historical Portion of this Treatise— The Dealings of 
God with Adam, Cain and Abel — The Institution of Sacrifice — 
The Symbolism of this Rite— The Words of the Angel to Adam- 
Lucifer — His Rebellion in Heaven — His Conflict with Michael for 
the Body of Moses — He tempts Christ — He is cast into a Lake of 
Fire and Brimstone. 

Having thus gathered in one numerous testimonies 
from the writings of the ancient inspired servants of 
God who dwelt on either hemisphere, and joined there- 
with extracts from the revelations of the present dispen- 
sation, with regard to the fore-ordination, mission, life- 
work and death of the Only Begotten Son, we shall now 
proceed to trace, from the sacred volumes, the revelation 
of our Savior, and the prophecy of his advent from the 
earliest ages of recorded history, until He fulfilled in 
Himself all, even all that, as offering, sacrifice, sacrament, 
vision or prophetic word, had foreshadowed His appearing, 
or typified the mystery of His all-atoning blood. 

We shall commence this portion of our subject by 
showing that sacrifices have been offered from the very 
earliest times, and that when performed under divine 
instr action, they prefigured and typified the sacrifice of 
the Son of God, and that it was with this view these 
sacrifices were offered up. 

It is recorded in the fourth chapter of the Book 
of Genesis that, 

"Adam knew Eve, his wife; and she conceived, and 
bare Cain, and said, I have gotten a man from the 
Lord. And she again bare his brother Abel: and Abel 
was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the 
ground. And in process of time it came to pass, that 
Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering 
unto the Lord. And Abel, he also brought of the first- 
ings of his flock, and of the fat thereof. And the Lord 



02 



THE MEDIATION AND ATONEMENT. 



had respect unto Abel, and to his offering: but unto 
Cain, and to his offering, he had not respect." — Genesis, 
iv, 1—5. 

As these sayings found in King James' transla- 
tion of the Bible are very limited, and , somewhat 
obscure, we will here refer, as a starting point on this 
subject, to the account given of these events in the Pearl 
of Great Price, which is a selection from the revelations, 
translations and narrations of Joseph Smith, the Prophet, 
Seer and Revelator of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter- 
day Saints. For in that translation it is stated that 
Adam, previous to these acts of Abel and Cain, offered 
up a sacrifice by the direct command of God. It is 
there written that the Lord gave unto Adam and Eve 
''commandments, that they should worship the Lord their 
God; and should offer the firstlings of their flocks for an 
offering unto the Lord. And Adam was obedient unto 
the commandments of the Lord. And after many days, 
an angel of the Lord appeared unto Adam, saying, Why 
dost thou offer sacrifices unto the Lord? And Adam 
said unto him, I know not, save the Lord commanded 
me. And then the angel spake, saying, This thing is a 
similitude of the sacrifice of the Only Begotten of the 
Father, which is full of grace and truth; wherefore thou 
shalt do all that thou doest in the name of the Son. 
And thou shalt repent, and call upon God, in the name 
of the Son, for evermore." We are further informed that 
"Adam and Eve blessed the name of God; and they 
made all things known unto their sons and their 
daughters." 

From the above it would seem that Adam, until 
instructed by the angel, did not know the reasons for 
the offering up of sacrifices, nor the object that the Lord 
had in view in requiring this offering at his hands; for, 
being asked by the angel why he performed this rite, he 
said, "I know not, save the Lord commanded me;" and 
the object of the visit of this holy being to Adam evi- 
dently was to show him why he was called to offer a 
sacrifice to the Lord, as, on Adam expressing his 



THE MEDIATION AND ATONEMENT. 63 

ignorance of the intent of this offering, the angel stated 
very explicitly that this thing was "a similitude of the 
sacrifice of the Only Begotten of the Father." We have 
here given a reason why Adam offered up this sacrifice. 
We may hereafter explain why it was necessary that the 
sacrifice of the Son of God should be made. 

These sacrifices, which were similitudes of the sacri- 
fice of the Only Begotten, were continued from that time 
until, as is stated in the Scriptures, Jesus came to offer 
"his own body once for all." — Heb., x, 10. 

We will now return to the sacrifices offered by Cain 
and Abel, and give 'the statement in relation thereto 
contained in the Pearl of Great Price. It is as follows: 

"And Cain loved Satan more than God. And Satan 
commanded him, saying, Make an offering unto the 
Lord. And in process of time it came to pass, that 
Cain brought of the fruits of the ground an offering 
unto the Lord. And Abel, he also brought, of the 
firstlings of his flock, and of the fat thereof; and the 
Lord had respect unto Abel, and to his offering; but 
unto Cain, and to his offering, He had not respect. 
Now Satan knew this, and it pleased him. And Cain 
was very wroth and his countenance fell. And the Lord 
said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? Why is thy 
countenance fallen? If thou doest well, thou shalt be 
accepted, and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the 
door, and Satan desireth to have thee, and except thou 
shalt hearken unto my commandments, I will deliver 
thee up, and it shall be unto thee according to his 
desire; and thou shalt rule over him, for from this 
time forth thou shalt be the father of his lies. Thou 
shalt be called Perdition, for thou wast also before the 
world, and it shall be said in time to come, that these 
abominations were had from Cain, for he rejected the 
greater counsel, which was had from God; and this is 
a cursing which I will put upon thee, except thou 
repent. And Cain was wroth, and listened not any more 
to the voice of the Lord, neither to Abel his brother, 
who walked in holiness before the Lord." 



64 



THE MEDIATION AND ATONEMENT. 



From the above it would appear that Satan, or 
Lucifer, was " also before the world/' and that the term 
"also" refers to another personage, and that personage was 
the Messiah, the Christ, the "Well Beloved Son, who, we 
are told, was the Lamb slain from before the foundation 
of the world; and it is obvious that Lucifer, who is 
elsewhere called the Son of the Morning, had an impor- 
tant role to play upon the earth as well as the Messiah, 
and that he occupied a very prominent position before 
the world was, and still occupies that position in oppo- 
sition to his Heavenly Father, to the Son of God, and 
to the interests of humanity; which opposition will con- 
tinue, we are informed, until he shall not only be bound, 
but cast into the bottomless pit; as stated by the Apostle 
John in the Book of Revelations: 

"And I saw an angel come down from heaven, 
having the key of the bottomless pit and a great chain 
in his hand. And he laid hold on the dragon, that old 
serpent, which is the Devil, and Satan, and bound him 
a thousand years, and cast him into the bottomless pit, 
and shut him up, and set a seal upon him, that he 
should deceive the nations no more, till the thousand 
years should be fulfilled; and after that he must be 
loosed a little season.'' — Rev., xx, 1 — 3. 

And a little further on we read that after the 
thousand years have passed, "Satan shall be loosed out 
ot his prison," and shall go out to deceive the nations 
and gather them to battle against the Saints, when fire 
from heaven will devour them. 

"'And the devil that deceived them was cast into 
the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the 
false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night 
for ever and ever." — Rev., xx, 10. 

The operations of Satan in opposition to the designs 
and purposes of God are frequently noticed in Holy 
Writ. Reference has already been made to his control 
over Cain and the results thereof, and unfortunately for 
them, Cain was not the only one in that early age of 
the world's history over whom Satan gained the mastery. 



THE MEDIATION AND ATONEMENT. 



05 



For he went abroad amongst the inhabitants of the 
earth, saying, " 1 am also a son of God; * * * 
and they loved Satan more than God. And men began, 
from that time forth, to be carnal, sensual, and devilish." 
And so they continued increasing in wickedness, until 
'•'all flesh had corrupted its way upon the earth," and 
the waters of the flood had to accomplish the work which 
the preaching of Noah could not effect. 

In later years we hear of Satan contending with the 
archangel, Michael, for the body of Moses. Jude writes: 
"Yet Michael, the archangel, when contending with the 
devil, he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not 
bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The 
Lord rebuke thee." 

This is again exhibited in the part he took in 
tempting the Savior, after His baptism and recogni- 
tion by His Heavenly Father. Of this event it is 
written : 

"Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wil- 
derness to be tempted of the devil. And when he had 
fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an 
hungered. And when the tempter came to him, he said, 
If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones 
be made bread. But he answered and said, It is writ- 
ten, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every 
word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. Then 
the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth 
him on a pinnacle of the temple. And saith unto him, 
If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down, for it is 
written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee, 
and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any 
time thou dash thy foot against a stone. Jesus said unto 
him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord 
thy God. Again, the devil taketh him up into an 
exceeding high mountain, and showeth him all the 
kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; and 
saith unto him, All these things will ' I give thee if 
thou wilt fall down and worship me. Then saith Jesus 
unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou 



66 



THE MEDIATION AND ATONEMENT. 



shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt 
thou serve. Then the devil leaveth him; and behold, 
angels came and ministered unto him," — Matt., iv, 1 — 11. 

Or to give the words of the inspired translation: 
" Then Jesus was led up of the Spirit into the wilder- 
ness, to be with God. And when he had fasted forty 
days and forty nights, and had communed with God, he 
was afterwards an hungered, and was left to be tempted 
of the devil. And when the tempter came to •him, he 
said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these 
stones be made bread. But Jesus answered and said, It 
is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by 
every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God." 

"Then Jesus was taken up into the holy city, and 
the Spirit setteth him on the pinnacle of the temple. 
Then the devil came unto him and said, If thou be 
the Son of God, cast thyself down, for it is written, He 
shall give his angels charge concerning thee, and in 
their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time 
thou dash thy foot against a stone. Jesus said unto 
him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord 
thy God." 

"And again, Jesus was in the Spirit, and it taketh 
him up into an exceeding high mountain, and showed 
him all the kingdoms of the world and the glory of 
them. And the devil came unto him again, and said, 
All these things will I give unto thee, if thou wilt fall 
down and worship me. Then said Jesus unto him, Get 
thee hence, Satan; for it is written, Thou shalt worship 
the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve. 
Then the devil leaveth him." 

Again, John in the Revelations, when referring to 
the latter days, exclaims, "Wo to the inhabitants of the 
earth, and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto 
you, having great wrath, because he knoweth he hath 
but a short time." [Rev., xii, 12.] And by and by the 
same writer tells us, in a passage already quoted, that 
Satan's time is finished, and he is bound and cast into 
the bottomless pit. 



THE MEDIATION AND ATONEMENT. 



67 



CHAPTER VIII. 

Seth— His Sacrifice Accepted— Rebellion in the Heavens— The Gathering 
of the Patriarchs in the Valley of Adam-ondi-Ahman— Sacrifices 
Offered There. 

The next eminent personage that appears is Seth. 
Concerning him, it is said in the Old Testament: 

"And Adam knew his wife again, and she bare a 
son, and called his name Seth: For God, said she, hath 
appointed me another seed instead of Abel, whom Cain 
slew." — Gen., iv, 25. 

There is a principle developed here pertaining to the 
economy of God with the human family. Abel held a 
representative position, as also did Cain, and that posi- 
tion, it would seem, associated Abel with what may 
be denominated the chosen seed. Cain slew Abel; but 
that the purposes relating to the perpetuation of that 
seed might stand, and the plan of God not be frus- 
trated by the adversary, He gave to Adam Seth, who 
inherited the priesthood and promises of his martyred 
brother; in this substantiating a principle that Paul 
refers to, when he writes, "That the purpose of God, 
according to election, might stand, not of works, but of. 
him that calleth." [Rom., ix, 11.] Yet, although Seth 
was one of the leading characters spoken of in the 
Scripture, and one to whom and through whom the 
promises were made, and who actually stood in the 
place of or represented his brother, Abel, yet there is 
nothing said in the ordinary translation pertaining to 
his offering sacrifices; we therefore again refer to the 
Pearl of Great Price. It is there stated that "Adam 
glorified the name of God, for he said, God hath 
appointed me another seed instead of Abel, whom Cain 
slew. And God revealed himself unto Seth, and he 
rebelled not, but offered an acceptable sacrifice like unto 
his brother Abel." 



68 



THE MEDIATION AND ATONEMENT. 



Seth, we are here told, rebelled not, bnt offered an 
acceptable sacrifice, thus carrying out the same idea of 
the atonement of the Only Begotten. In this connection 
we must remember that there had been a rebellion in 
heaven, and many of the angels, they " which kept not 
their first estate," [Jude, 6,] were cast out. Lucifer was 
the leader of these rebellious ones who were then cast 
down to the earth. He had rebelled against God, his 
Father, and it would seem, from revelations that we 
shall hereafter draw attention to, that his rebellion had 
its origin in his rejection of the counsel given to him 
by his Father pertaining to the salvation and exaltation 
of mankind. When man was placed upon the earth, 
Lucifer, or Satan, still manifested the same animus and 
spirit; and through his influence he operated upon Cain, 
for Cain listened to his wiles, and being controlled by 
him, he also rebelled against his father and his God. 
Thus the rebellion in the heavens was transmitted to a 
rebellion on the earth, and all who became subject to 
this influence placed themselves in a state of enmity 
and antagonism to God, and one of the first results 
exhibited was covetousness and murder, even the murder 
by Cain of his brother Abel. Thus we find the first 
man slain (Abel) was one holding the holy Priesthood, 
and the same vindictive spirit manifested against the 
servants of God of all later ages, gave the martyr 
Stephen good reason to ask his persecutors, 

" Which of the prophets have not your fathers per- 
secuted? and they have slain them which showed before 
of the coining of the Just One; of whom ye have been 
now the betrayers and murderers." — Acts, vii, 52. 

Although there is nothing said in the Book of 
Genesis in relation to sacrifices offered up by Enos, who 
was the son of Seth, nor by his descendants, Canaan, 
Mahalaleel, Jared, Enoch and Methuselah, all of whom 
held the High Priesthood, and were consequently pro- 
phets of the Lord, yet it is quite reasonable to suppose 
that they, being of the promised seed through whom 
the Messiah was to come, did offer up sacrifices as com- 



THE MEDIATION AND ATONEMENT. 



69 



memorative of that great promised event. Further, in 
relation to this subject, we are informed in the Book 
of Doctrine and Covenants [Section 107, par. 53 — 57, 
p. 389,] that "three years previous to the death of 
Adam, he called Seth, Enos, Cainan, Mahalaleel, Jared- 
Enoch and Methuselah [the persons mentioned above,] 
who were all High Priests, with the residue of his pos, 
terity who were righteous, into the valley of Adam- 
ondi-Ahman, and there bestowed upon them his last 
blessing. And the Lord appeared unto them, and they 
rose up and blessed Adam, and called him Michael, the 
Prince, the Archangel. And the Lord administered com- 
fort unto Adam, and said unto him, I have set thee to 
be at the head — a multitude of nations shall come of 
thee, and thou art a prince over them for ever. And 
Adam stood up in the midst of the congregation, and 
notwithstanding he was bowed down with age, being full 
of the Holy Ghost, predicted whatsoever should befall 
his posterity unto the latest generation. These things 
were all written in the Book of Enoch, and are to be 
testified of in due time." 

Although, in the above, there is nothing directly 
said about the offering of sacrifices, yet, as this was a 
usual ceremony, and it belonged to the Priesthood and 
to the promised seed to offer sacrifices, it would be rea- 
sonable to suppose that Adam did then and there offi- 
ciate in that rite; indeed, it was stated by the Prophet 
Joseph Smith, in our hearing, while standing on an 
elevated piece of ground or plateau near Adam-ondi- 
Ahman* (Davis Co., Missouri,), where there were a 
number of rocks piled together, that the valley before 
us was the valley of Adam-ondi-Ahman; or in other 
words, the valley where God talked with Adam, and 

* "Revelation to Joseph, the Seer, given near Wight's Ferry, at a 
place called Spring Hill, Davis County, Missouri, May 19th, 1838, wherein 
Spring Hill is named by the Lord, Adam-ondi-Ahman, Because, said 
he, it is the place where Adam shall come to visit his people, or the 
Ancient of days shall sit, as spoken of by Daniel the Prophet."— Doc. 
and Cov. Sec. 116, p. 415. 



70 



THE MEDIATION AND ATONEMENT. 



where he gathered his righteous posterity, as recorded m 
the above revelation, and that this pile of stones was 
an altar built by him when he offered up sacrifices, as 
we understand, on that occasion. If Adam then offered 
up sacrifices in the presence of these prominent men, 
he being the President of these High Priests, he would 
officiate for them as well as for himself; while it is 
quite reasonable to believe that they assisted in the 
offerings made upon that altar. Regarding this the 
Saints sing: 

This earth was once a garden place, 

With all her glories common, 
And men did live a holy race, 
And worship Jesus face to face, 

In Adam-ondi-Ahman. 

We read that Enoch walk'd with God, 

Above the power of mammon, 
While Zion spread herself abroad, 
And Saints and angels sung aloud, 

In Adam-ondi-Ahman. 

Her land was good and greatly blest, 

Beyond old Israel's Canaan; 
Her fame was known from east to west, 
Her peace was great, and pure the rest 

Of Adam-ondi-Ahman. 

Hosannah to such days to come— 

The Savior's second coming, 
When all the earth in glorious bloom, 
Affords the Saints a holy home, 

Like Adam-ondi-Ahman. 



THE MEDIATION AND ATONEMENT. 



71 



CHAPTER IX. 

Enoch, his Life and Translation — References to Him by Paul and Jade — 
Copious Extracts from His Prophecy — The Prophet Joseph Smith 
on Enoch and the Doctrine of Translation— The Office of Trans- 
lated Saints— Enoch's Future Work — Translation and Resurrection — 
Christ the Creator — Summary of the Results of Enoch's Faith in 
the Saving Blood of Christ. 

We next come to Enoch, who presents a very 
important figure among the antediluvians, and of whom 
there are some very marvelous things related. The Bible 
record of him is as follows: 

" And Jared lived an hundred, sixty and two years, 
and he begat Enoch. * ' * * And 

Enoch lived sixty and five years, and begat Methuselah: 
and Enoch walked with God after he begat Methuselah 
three hundred years, and begat sons and daughters; and 
all the days of Enoch were three hundred, sixty and 
five years; and Enoch walked with God, and he was 
not; for God took him."— Gen., v, 18, 21—24. 

This is certainly a very meagre history of so great 
a personage, and to supply the deficiency we must have 
recourse to other testimonies: one important fact, how- 
ever, is here stated, that "he walked with God;" another 
is, that "God took him." There was evidently a book 
written by this Patriarch, which is called the Book of 
Enoch, for Jude says: 

" And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophe- 
sied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten 
thousand of his saints, to execute judgment upon all, 
and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all 
their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, 
and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners 
have spoken against him." — Jude, i, 14, 15. 

From the above it would seem that not only had 
Enoch written a book, but that Jude had access to it; 



72 



THE MEDIATION AND ATONEMENT. 



or if not had had a communication or revelation from 
Enoch, as referred to by Joseph Smith, hereafter, for we 
discover that he had a knowledge of the Son of God, 
the ' Messiah. It is true, the Only Begotten, as He is 
spoken of elsewhere, is not here mentioned, but only 
the Lord is referred to; yet the circumstances connected 
therewith are indicative of it being that personage; for 
Paul expresses the same sentiment in regard to the 
second coming of the Messiah, and says: 

"And to you, who are troubled, rest with us, when 
the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his 
mighty angels, in naming fire taking vengeance on them 
that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of 
our Lord Jesus Christ: who shall be punished with 
everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, 
and from the glory of his power; when he shall come to 
be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them 
that believe (because our testimony among you was 
believed) in that day."— 2 Thes., i, 7—10. 

Moreover, Jesus Himself makes the following re- 
marks concerning the same subject: 

" When the Son of man shall come in his glory, 
and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit 
upon the throne of his glory: and before him shall be 
gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one 
from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from 
the goats."— Matt., xxv, 31, 32. 

Thus showing that it was the same personage that 
was referred to by Enoch. 

Paul, in his epistle to the Hebrews, writes: 

"By faith Enoch was translated, that he should not 
see death; and was not found, because God had trans- 
lated him; for before his translation he had this testi- 
mony, that he pleased God." — Heb., xi, o. 

These declarations are very strongly corroborated by 
the following extracts from a revelation given to the 
Prophet Joseph Smith, relating to the prophecy of Enoch, 
and published in the Pearl of Great Price: 

"And from that time forth Enoch began to pro- 



THE MEDIATION AND ATONEMENT. 



73 



phesy, saying unto the people, That, as I was journey- 
ing, and stood in the place Mahujah, and cried unto 
the Lord, there came a voice out of heaven, saying, 
Turn ye, and get ye upon the Mount Simeon. And it 
came to pass that I turned and went up on the mount; 
and as I stood upon the mount, I beheld the heavens 
open, and I was clothed upon with glory, and I saw 
the Lord; and he stood before my face, and he talked 
with me, even as a man talketh one with another, face 
to face; and he said unto me, Look, and I will show 
unto thee the world for the space of many generations. 

* * And the Lord said unto me, Go 

forth to this people and say unto them, Repent, lest I 
come out and smite them with a curse, and they die. 
And he gave unto me a commandment that I should 
baptize in the name of the Father, and of the Son, 
who is full of grace and truth, and the Holy Ghost, 
which beareth record of the Father and the Son. And 
it came to pass that Enoch continued to call upon all 
the people, save it were the people of Cainan, to repent; 
and so great was the faith of Enoch, that he led the 
people of God, and their enemies came to battle against 
them; and he spake the w r ord of the Lord, and the 
earth trembled, and the mountains fled, even according 
to his command; and the rivers of water were turned 
out of their course; and the roar of the lions w r as 
heard out of the wilderness; and ail nations feared 
greatly. * * * And there went forth 

a curse upon all the people who fought against God; 
and from that time forth there were wars and bloodshed 
among them; but the Lord came and dwelt with his 
people, and they dwelt in righteousness. And the fear 
of the Lord was upon all nations, so great was the 
glory of the Lord, which was upon his people. * * * 
And it came to pass that Enoch talked with the Lord; 
and he said unto the Lord, Surely, Zion shall dwell in 
safety for ever. But the Lord said unto Enoch, Zion 
have I blessed, but the residue of the people have I 
cursed. And it came to pass that the Lord showed 



74 



THE MEDIATION AND ATONEMENT. 



unto Enoch all the inhabitants of the earth: and he 
beheld, and lo, Zion, in process of time, was taken up 
into heaven! And the Lord said unto Enoch, Behold 
mine abode for ever." 

The Prophet Joseph Smith, when speaking of Enoch 
and his people and the doctrine of translation, said; 

" If Cain had fulfilled the law of righteousness as 
did Enoch, he would have walked with God all the 
days of his life, and never failed of a blessing. Gen., 
v, 22: 'And Enoch walked with God after he begat 
Methuselah three hundred years, and begat sons and 
daughters; and all the days of Enoch were three hun- 
dred and sixty-five years; and Enoch walked with God 
and he was not, for God took him.' Now this Enoch 
God reserved unto Himself, that he should not die at 
that time, and appointed unto him a ministry unto ter- 
restrial bodies, of whom there has been but little 
revealed. He is reserved also unto the Presidency of a 
dispensation, and more shall be said of him and terres- 
trial bodies in another treatise. He is a ministering 
angel, to minister to those who shall be heirs of salva- 
tion, and appeared unto Jude as Abel did unto Paul: 
therefore Jude spoke of him, 14th and loth verses: 
'And Enoch, the seventh from Adam, revealed these 
sayings: Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousand of 
his Saints.' 

" Paul was also acquainted with this character, and 
received instructions from him: Heb., xi, 5: "'By faith 
Enoch was translated, that he should not see death, and 
was not found, because God had translated him; for 
before his translation he had this testimony, that he 
pleased God: but without faith it is impossible to please 
him, for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, 
and that he is a revealer to those who diligently seek 
him.' 

"Now the doctrine of translation is a power which 
belongs to this Priesthood. There are many things which 
belong to the powers of the Priesthood and the keys 
thereof, that have been kept hid from before the foun- 



THE MEDIATION AND ATONEMENT. 



75 



dation of the world; they are hid from the wise and 
prudent, to be revealed in the last times. 

" Many may have supposed that the doctrine of 
translation was a doctrine whereby men were taken 
immediately into the presence of God, and into an eter- 
nal fulness, but this is a mistaken idea. Their place of 
habitation is that of the terrestrial order, and a place 
prepared for such characters He held in reserve to be 
ministering angels unto many planets, and who as yet 
have not entered into so great a fulness as those who 
are resurrected from the dead. See Heb., xi, part of 
35th verse, ' Others were tortured, not accepting deliver- 
ance, that they might obtain a better resurrection.' 

" Now it is evident that there was a better resur- 
rection, or else God would not have revealed it unto 
Paul. Wherein then can it be said a better resurrection? 
This distinction is made between the doctrine of the 
actual resurrection and translation: translation obtains 
deliverance from the tortures and sufferings of the body, 
but their existence will prolong as to the labors and 
toils of the ministry, before they can enter into so great 
a rest and glory. 

" On the other hand, those who were tortured, not 
accepting deliverance, received an immediate rest from 
their labors. See Revelations, xiv, 13: ' And I heard a 
voice from heaven, saying, Blessed are the dead who 
die in the Lord, for from henceforth they do rest from 
their labors and their works do follow them.' 

"They rest from their labors for a long time, and 
yet their work is held in reserve for them, that they 
are permitted to do the same works after they receive 
a resurrection for their bodies." — History of Joseph 
Smith, Deseret News, Vol. IV, No. 30. 

" He [President Joseph Smith] explained the difference 
between an angel and a ministering spirit; the one a 
resurrected or translated body, with its spirit, ministering 
to embodied spirits ; the other a disembodied spirit, 
visiting or ministering to disembodied spirits. Jesus 
Christ became a ministering spirit (while his body was 



/ 



76 THE MEDIATION AND ATONEMENT. 

lying in the sepulchre) to the spirits in prison, to fulfil 
an important part of his mission, without which he could 
not have perfected his work, nor entered into his rest. 
After his resurrection he appeared as an angel to his 
disciples, &c. Translated bodies cannot enter into rest 
until they have undergone a change equivalent to death. 
Translated bodies are designed for future missions. 

"The angel that appeared to John on the Isle of 
Patmos was a translated or resurrected body. Jesus 
Christ went in body, after his resurrection, to minister 
to translated and resurrected bodies. There has been a 
chain of authority and power from Adam down to the 
present time." — History of Joseph Smith, Deseret News, 
Vol. V, No. 11. 

It would appear that the translated residents of 
Enoch's city are under the direction of Jesus, who is 
the Creator of worlds; and that He, holding the keys 
of the government of other worlds, could, in His 
administrations to them, select the translated people of 
Enoch's Zion, if He thought proper, to perform a mis- 
sion to these various planets, and as death had not 
passed upon them, they could be prepared by Him 
and made use of through the medium of the Holy 
Priesthood to act as ambassadors, teachers, or messengers 
to those worlds over which Jesus holds the authority. 
We read in the Times and Seasons: 

" Truly Jesus Christ created the worlds, and is Lord 
of Lords, and, as the Psalmist said, 'judges among the 
Gods.' Then Moses might have said with propriety, he 
is the 'living God,' and Christ, speaking of the flesh, 
could say, I am the Son of Man; and Peter, enlightened 
by the Holy Ghost, Thou art the Son of the living 
God, meaning our Father in Heaven, and who, with 
Jesus Christ His first begotten Son, and the Holy Ghost, 
are one in power, one in dominion, and one in glory, 
constituting the First Presidency of this system and this 
eternity. But they are as much three distinct persons 
as the sun, moon and earth are three different bodies. 

"And again, the 'twelve kingdoms,' which are under 



THE MEDIATION AND ATONEMENT. 



77 



the above-mentioned Presidency of the Father, Son and 
Holy Ghost, are governed by the same rules, and des- 
tined to the same honor. [Book Doc. and Gov., page 
135, par. 13.*] For, 'Behold, I will liken these kingdoms 
unto a man having a field, and he sent forth his ser- 
vants into the field, to dig in the field; and he said 
unto the first, Go ye and labor in the field, and in the 
first hour I will come unto you, and ye shall behold 
the joy of my countenance: and he said unto the sec- 
ond, Go ye also into the field, and in the second hour 
I will visit you with the joy of my countenance; and 
also unto the third, saying, I will visit you; and unto 
the fourth, and so on unto the twelfth.' " 

It is further stated in this section: "Therefore, unto 
this parable will I liken all these kingdoms, and the 
inhabitants thereof; every kingdom in its hour, and in 
its time, and in its season; even according to the decree 
which God hath made." — Verse 61. 

That is, each kingdom, or ^planet, and the inhabi- 
tants thereof, were blessed with the visits and presence 
of their Creator, in their several times and seasons. 

It is recorded that to Jesus has been given all 
power in heaven and in earth, and from the foregoing 
quotations He evidently had power which He used to 
commission the citizens of the Zion of Enoch to go to 
other worlds on missions. In an extract from the teach- 
ings of the Prophet Joseph (elsewhere inserted) it is 
written : 

"Elijah was the last prophet that held the keys of 
this Priesthood, and who will, before the last dispensa- 
tion, restore the authority and deliver the keys of this 
Priesthood, in order that all the ordinances may be 
attended to in righteousness. It is true that the Savior 
had authority and power to bestow this blessing; but 
the sons of Levi were too prejudiced." 

Here Jesus paid deference to the Priesthood, who 
held keys relating to the ministration of its powers and 



*Page 310, New Edition. 



78 



THE MEDIATION AND ATONEMENT. 



blessings,, but it is not unreasonable to suppose, when 
other worlds are concerned, over whom also He holds 
the keys of salvation, that these considerations would 
not necessarily interpose, and that He would send or 
commission members of the translated Priesthood of 
Enoch's Zion amongst terrestrial worlds whithersoever it 
pleased Him, in the interests of the peoples thus sit- 
uated. 

We now resume our extracts from the prophecy of 
Enoch ; 

"And Enoch beheld angels descending out of heaven, 
bearing testimony of the Father and of the Son; and 
the Holy Ghost fell on many, and they were caught 
up by the power of heaven into Zion. * * * 

"And it came to pass that Enoch looked; and from 
Noah, he beheld all the families of the earth; and he 
cried unto the Lord, saying, When shall the day of the 
Lord come? When shall the blood of the Righteous be 
shed, that all they that mourn may be sanctified, and 
have eternal life? And the Lord said, It shall be in 
the meridian of time, in the days of wickedness and 
vengeance. And behold, Enoch saw the day of the 
coming of the Son of Man, even in the flesh; and his 
soul rejoiced, saying, The Righteous is lifted up, and 
the Lamb is slain from the foundation of the world; 
and through faith I am in the bosom of the Father, 
and behold, Zion is with me! * * * 

"Enoch continued his cry unto the Lord, saying, I 
ask thee, 0 Lord, in the name of thine Only Begotten, 
even Jesus Christ, that thou wilt have mercy upon 
Noah and his seed, that the earth might never more be 
covered by the floods? And the Lord could not withhold; 
and he covenanted with Enoch, and sware unto him 
with an oath, that he would stay the floods; that he 
would call upon the children of Noah; and he sent 
forth an unalterable decree, that a remnant of his seed 
should always be found among' all nations, while the 
earth should stand; and the Lord said, Blessed is he 
through whose seed Messiah shall come; for he saith, I 



THE MEDIATION AND ATONEMENT. 



79 



am Messiah, the King of Zion, the Rock of Heaven, 
which is broad as eternity; and whoso cometh in at 
the gate and climbeth up by me, shall never fall. * * * 

"And the Lord said unto Enoch, Look; and he 
looked and beheld the Son of Man lifted up on the 
cross, after the manner of men; and he heard a loud 
voice; and the heavens were veiled ; and all the crea- 
tions of God mourned; and the earth groaned; and the 
rocks were rent; and the Saints arose, and were 
crowned at the right hand of the Son of Man, with 
crowns of glory; and as many of the spirits as were in 
prison came forth, and stood on the right hand of God; 
and the remainder were reserved in chains of darkness 
until the judgment of the great day. * * * 

"And it came to pass that Enoch saw the day of 
the coming of the Son of Man, in the last days, to 
dwell on the earth in righteousness for the space of a 
thousand years. * * * 

"And the Lord showed Enoch all things, even unto 
the end of the world; and he saw the day of the 
righteous, the hour of their redemption, and received a 
fulness of joy; and all the days of Zion, in the days 
of Enoch, were three hundred and sixty-five years; and 
Enoch and all his people walked with God, and he 
dwelt in the midst of Zion; and it came to pass that 
Zion was not, for God received it up into his own 
bosom; and from thence went forth the saying, Zion is 
fled." 

From the foregoing extracts we learn amongst other 
truths, all based upon Enoch's faith in the atoning blood 
of the Lamb slain from before the foundation of the 
world, the following: 

That Enoch was clothed with glory and saw the 
Lord, who talked with Him as one man talks with 
another, even face to face. 

That the Lord commanded Enoch to preach repent- 
ance; and to baptize in the name of the Father, and 
the Son, which is full of grace and truth, and the Holy 
Spirit, which bears record of the Father and the Son. 



80 



THE MEDIATION AND ATONEMENT. 



That so great was the faith of Enoch that he led 
the people of God, overthrew their enemies, and at his 
word the earth trembled, whilst the mountains, rivers 
and seas obeyed his command. 

That through this faith Enoch saw the days of the 
coming of the Son of Man in the flesh, and by it he 
obtained a covenant from the Lord that after Noah's 
day He would never again cover the earth by a flood, 
and obtained an unalterable decree that a remnant of 
his seed should always be found among all nations 
while the earth should stand. 

That the Lord showed Enoch the world and its 
future history for the space of many generations, even 
unto the end of the world. 

That so great was the faith and righteousness of 
Enoch and his people, that the Lord came down and 
dwelt with them, and in process of time Enoch's City, 
Zion, was taken up into heaven, and many, through the 
testimony of the Father and the Son, were afterwards 
caught up by the powers of Heaven into Zion. 

And, further,* that while Enoch, through the favor 
of the Almighty, not only had a mission to preach the 
Gospel and to gather the people, but that he was also 
empowered to have the people that he had thus gath- 
ered, and taught and instructed in the laws of life, and 
the city in which they dwelt, translated and taken into 
the bosom of the Father, there to be preserved until 
the latter times, while the threatened calamities should 
overtake the world. But he also further obtained a 
promise that the future peopling of the earth should 
come through his seed; thus making him one of the 
great agencies to administer salvation in the heavens 
and upon the earth. 



THE MEDIATION AND ATONEMENT. 



81 



CHAPTER X. 

Noah— His Sacrifice— God's Covenant with Him— Melchizedek— His Priest- 
hood — Its Powers — Instances thereof Recorded in the Bible, in the 
Book of Mormon and in Latter-days — All Power of the Priesthood 
the Result of Faith in Christ and Impossible without the Atone- 
ment—The Power of the Priesthood the Power of God— The Glory 
cf God in the Immortality of Man— Christ the Word, the Creator. 

After the waters of the flood had subsided, we are 
told, Noah and his family came forth out of the ark: 

"And Noah builded an altar unto the Lord, and 
took of every clean beast and of every clean fowl, and 
offered burnt offerings on the altar. And the Lord 
smelled a sweet savour: and the Lord said in his heart, 
I will not again curse the ground any more for man's 
sake; for the imagination of man's heart is evil from 
his youth : neither will I again smite any more every 
thing living, as I have done. While the earth remain- 
eth, seed-time and harvest, and cold and heat, and 
summer and winter, and day and night, shall not 
cease."— Gen., viii 3 20—22. 

The details of this act are given us somewhat dif- 
ferently in the inspired translation: it is there written: 

"And Noah builded an altar unto the Lord, and 
took of every clean- beast, and of every clean fowl, and 
offered burnt offerings on the altar; and gave thanks 
unto the Lord, and rejoiced in his heart. And the Lord 
spake unto Noah, and he blessed him. And Noah smelt 
a sweet savour, and he said in his heart, I will call 
on the name of the Lord, that he will not again curse 
the ground any more for man's sake, for the imagina- 
tion of man's heart is evil from his youth; and that 
he will not smite any more every thing living, as he 
hath done, while the earth remaineth; and that seed 
time and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and 



82 



THE MEDIATION AND ATONEMENT. 



winter, and day and night may not cease with 
man." 

Thus, we discover that the first act after the des- 
truction of the world by a flood was a recognition of 
the great expiatory principle of the atonement, which 
was to be made by the Only Begotten Son of God, as 
revealed by the angel to Adam. And as God recognized 
Adam's and Abel's offerings, so He also recognized that 
of Noah: and as a result, the Patriarch obtained great 
promises, in which the people of all ages, then to come, 
would be interested. For " God spake unto Noah, and 
to his sons with him, saying, And I, behold, I will 
establish my covenant with you, which I made unto 
your father Enoch, concerning your seed after you. And 
it shall come to pass, that every living creature that is 
with you, of the fowl, and of the cattle, and of the 
b£ast of the earth that is with you, which shall go out 
of the ark, shall not altogether perish : neither shall all 
flesh be cut off any more by the waters of a flood; 
neither shall there any more be a flood to destroy the 
earth. And I .will establish my covenant with you, 
which I made unto Enoch, concerning the remnants of 
your posterity. And God made a covenant with Noah, 
and said, This shall be the token of the covenant I 
make between me and you, and for every living crea- 
ture with you, for perpetual generations, I will set my 
bow in the cloud; and it shall be for a token of a 
covenant between me and the earth. And it shall come 
to pass, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the 
bow shall be seen in the cloud; and I will remember 
my covenant, which I have made between me and you, 
for every living creature of all flesh. And the waters 
shall no more become a flood to destroy all flesh. And 
the bow shall be in the cloud; and I will look upon 
it, that I may remember the everlasting covenant, which 
I made unto thy father Enoch ; that, when men should 
keep all my commandments, Zion should again come on 
the earth, the city of Enoch, which I have caught up 
unto myself. And this is mine everlasting covenant, 



THE MEDIATION AND ATONEMENT. 



83 



that when thy posterity shall embrace the truth, and 
look upward, then shall Zion look downward, and all 
the heavens shall shake with gladness, and the earth 
shall tremble with joy; and the general assembly of the 
Church of the First-born shall come down out of heaven 
and possess the earth, and shall have place until the 
end come. And this is mine everlasting covenant, which 
I made with thy father Enoch. And the bow shall be 
in the cloud, and I will establish my covenant unto 
thee, which I have made between me and thee, for 
every living creature of all flesh that shall be upon the 
earth." — Inspired Translation, Gen., ix, 15 — 24. 

We will now turn to Melchizedek, of whom it is 
written in King James' translation: 

"And Melchizedek, king of Salem, brought forth 
bread and wine-: and he was the priest of the most 
high God. And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be 
Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and 
earth : and blessed be the most high God, which hath 
delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave 
him tithes of all."— Gen., xiv, 18—20. 

This passage is given with greater completeness in 
the inspired translation, where it appears as follows: 
"And Melchizedek, King of Salem, brought forth bread 
and wine; and he brake bread and blessed it; and he 
blessed the wine, he being the priest of the Most High 
God; and he gave to Abram, and he blessed him, and 
said, Blessed Abram, thou art a man of the Most High 
God, possessor of heaven and of earth; and blessed is the 
name of the Most High God, which hath delivered 
thine enemies into thine hand. And Abram gave him 
tithes of all he had taken." 

In this action of Melchizedek, in administering the 
bread and wine, by virtue of his priestly office, is there 
not a representation of the body and blood of our Lord 
and Savior Jesus Christ, as also indicated by the Mes- 
siah Himself when He partook of the passover with His 
disciples? For Melchizedek was a great High Priest, of 
the same order and like Priesthood as was held by the 



•84 



THE MEDIATION AND ATONEMENT. 



Son of God. So great, indeed, that "before his day it 
was called the Holy Priesthood, after the order of the 
Son of God; but out of respect or reverence to the 
name of the Supreme Being, to avoid the too frequent 
repetition of his name, they, the church, in ancient 
days, called that Priesthood after Melchizedek, or the 
Melchizedek Priesthood." — Doc. and Gov., Sec. 107, Par. 
3, 4, p. 333. 

Paul, also, in reasoning on this subject in his epis- 
tle to the Hebrews, chapter vii, writes: 

" For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the 
most high God, who met Abraham returning from the 
slaughter of the kings, and blessed him ; to whom also 
Abraham gave a tenth part of all; first being by inter- 
pretation King of righteousness, and after that also 
King of Salem, which is, King of peace; without father, 
without mother, without descent, having neither begin- 
ning of days, nor end of life; but made like unto the 
Son of God; abideth a priest continually. Now consider 
how great this man was, unto whom even the patriarch 
Abraham gave the tenth of the spoils. And verily they 
that are of the sons of Levi, who receive the office of 
the priesthood, have a commandment to take tithes of 
the people according to the law, that is, of their breth- 
ren, though they come out of the loins of Abraham': 
but he whose descent is not counted from them received 
tithes of Abraham, and blessed him that had the 
promises. And without all contradiction the less is 
blessed of the better." 

To make the matter still plainer we transcribe the 
third verse from the inspired translation: 

" For this Melchizedek was ordained a priest after 
the order of the Son of God, which order was without 
father, without mother, without descent, having neither 
"beginning of days nor end of life. And all those who 
are ordained unto this priesthood are made like unto 
the Son of God, abiding a priest continually." 

In Genesis, inspired translation, chapter xiv, it is also 
stated regarding Melchizedek: 



THE MEDIATION AND ATONEMENT. 



85 



" Thus, having been approved of God, he was 
ordained an high priest after the order of the covenant 
which God made with Enoch, it being after the order 
of the Son of God; which order came, not by man, nor 
the will of man; neither by father, nor mother; neither 
by beginning of days, nor end of years; but of God. 
And it was delivered unto men by the calling of his 
own voice, according to his own will, unto as many as 
believed on his name. For God having sworn unto 
Enoch and unto his seed with an oath by himself, that 
every one being ordained after this order and calling 
should have power, by faith, to break mountains, to 
divide the seas, to dry up waters, to turn them out of 
their course, to put at defiance the armies of nations, 
to divide the earth, to break every band, to stand in 
the presence of God; to do all things according to his 
will, according to his command, subdue principalities 
and powers; and this by the will of the Son of God, 
which was from before the foundation of the world. 
And men having this faith, coining up unto this order 
of God, were translated and taken up into heaven. And 
now, Melchizedek was a priest of this order; therefore 
he obtained peace in Salem, and was called the Prince 
of peace, and his people wrought righteousness, and 
obtained heaven, and sought for the city of Enoch 
which God had before taken; separating it from the 
earth, having reserved it unto the latter-days, or the 
end of the world, and hath said, and sworn with an 
oath, that the heavens and the earth should come 
together; and the sons of God should be tried so as 
by fire. And this Melchizedek, having thus established 
righteousness, was called the king of heaven by his 
people, or, in other words, the King of peace." 

From the above it would seem that this people 
possessed the power of Translation, and that they "ob- 
tained heaven, and sought for the city of Enoch which 
God had before taken," or which was before translated. 

The principle of power also over the varied creations 
of God, above spoken of, pertaining to the Holy Priesthood 



86 



THE MEDIATION AND ATONEMENT. 



after the order of the Son of God, has, by faith, been 
manifested to the world in the lives and actions of 
numbers of the servants of the Most High. The power 
of Enoch, wherein he caused the earth to tremble, whilst 
mountains fled at his command, and rivers were turned 
out of their course, has already been referred to. By 
this power, exercised in mighty faith, Melchizedek 
stopped the mouths of lions and quenched the violence 
of tire;* by it the waters of the Red Sea were divided 
by Moses, and the children of Israel passed through dry 
shod:t by it Elijah J and Elisha§ smote the waters of 
the Jordan and crossed on dry land; by it Daniel 
escaped the ferocity of the lions, || and the three Hebrew 
children were delivered from the fiery furnace. If 

By this same power in the Messianic dispensation 
the Apostles were delivered from bonds and imprison- 
ment; by it Paul shook off the viper that had fastened 
upon his hand;** by it Philip ft was caught away by 
the Spirit of the Lord after he had baptized the Ethi- 
opean eunuch; by it John was preserved when he was 
cast into a cauldron of boiling oil, that it did not hurt 
him; by it the dead were raised, the lepers cleansed, 
the sick healed, devils cast out, and other mighty works 
performed by Jesus and His disciples; and by it Christ 
broke the bands of death and became the resurrection 
and the life, the first fruits of them that slept, the con- 
queror of death, the Savior of the world and Redeemer 
of mankind. 

Again, on this continent, one of the Nephite Pro- 
phets, Jacob, the son of Lehi, records: "We truly can 
command in the name of Jesus, and the very trees obey 
us, or the mountains, or the waves of the sea." (Jacob, 
iv, &,). By faith the brother of Jared, who held this 
power, said unto the mountain Zerin, Remove; and it 
was removed; {J by it Alma and Amulek caused the walls 



-Inspired Trans. Gen., xiv, 26. 
$2 Kings, ii, 14. 
**Acts, xxviii, 3—6. 



fExodus, xiv, 21. 
]| Daniel, vi, 16—23. 
tfAets, viii, 39. 



J2 Kings, ii, 7, 8. 
^Daniel, iii, 19—27, 
jjEther, xii, 30. 



THE MEDIATION AND ATONEMENT. 



37 



of the prison in Ammonihah to tumble to the ground;* 
by it Nephi and Lehi wrought the surpassing change 
upon the Lamanites that they were baptized with fire 
and the Holy Ghost ;f by it Amnion and his brethren 
wrought so great a miracle in the conversion of the 
Lamanites ;J and by it also the disciples of Jesus who 
tarried amongst the Nephites showed forth the power 
spoken of in the following passage: 

"Therefore they did exercise power and authority 
over the disciples of Jesus who did tarry with them, 
and they did cast them into prison: but by the power 
of the word of God, which was in them, • the prisons 
were rent in twain, and they went forth doing mighty 
miracles among them. Nevertheless, and notwithstanding 
all these miracles, the people did harden their hearts, 
and did seek to kill them, even as the Jews at Jerusa- 
lem sought to kill Jesus, according to his word; and 
they did cast them into furnaces of fire, and they came 
forth receiving no harm; and they also cast them into 
dens of wild beasts, and they did play with the wild 
beasts even as a child with a lamb; and they did 
come forth from among them, receiving no harm." — 
4 Nephi, i, 30—33. 

This same, power has also been abundantly mani- 
fested in these latter days in the midst of the Saints 
of God, in deliverances from evil, in escapes from ene- 
mies, in the quelling of mobs, in the stilling of the 
angry waves of the sea, in the healing of the sick, in 
the casting out of unclean spirits, and in many other 
miraculous manifestations of the power and goodness of 
God, and of the authority with which He has invested 
His servants who are endowed and clothed upon with the 
Priesthood, which is endless and after the order of the 
Son of God. 

Thus, through the atonement of Jesus, and the sal- 
vation and redemption brought about by that atonement 



*Alma, xiv, 26—29. fHelaman, v, 43 — 49. JAlma, xvii— xxvii. 



S8 



THE MEDIATION AND ATONEMENT. 



these wonderful manifestations and deliverances have 
been accomplished by faith in God; and the Priesthood 
being after the order of the Son of God, and proceed- 
ing from Him, through the atonement, those who held 
this Priesthood possessed, according to their faith, the 
above mentioned powers; and without that atonement 
this power never could have existed, for men without 
that sacrifice could not have been brought into that 
relationship to God, by which they would have the 
right, the power and authority to act' in His name, or 
to be His representatives to fallen humanity. 

In fact, the power manifested by the Priesthood is 
simply the power of God, for He is the head of the 
Priesthood, with Jesus as our President and great High 
Priest; and it is upon this principle that all the works 
of God have been accomplished, whether on the earth 
or in the heavens; and any manifestation of power 
through the Priesthood on the earth is simply a dele- 
gated power from the Priesthood in the heavens, and 
the more the Priesthood on the earth becomes assimi- 
lated with and subject to the Priesthood in the heavens 
the more of this power shall we possess. Hence Paul, 
in speaking on this subject, says: 

" Through faith we understand that the worlds were 
framed by the word of God, so that things which are 
seen were not made of things which do appear." — 
Heb., xi, 3. 

The work of God and the glory of God is to bring 
to pass the immortality and eternal life of man; as it is 
written : " For this is my work and my glory, to bring 
to pass the immortality and eternal life of man." (Pearl 
of Great Price.) The creation of man and the multipli- 
cation of man was one thing, the immortality and eter- 
nal life of man and his exaltation is another thing; and 
in the organization of the world, and in the calculations 
of the Almighty pertaining to this immortality and eter- 
nal life, it would seem that it was decreed that the 
Only Begotten Son was provided for the purpose of 
accomplishing this object; and hence Christ was the 



THE MEDIATION AND ATONEMENT. 



89 



Lamb slain, according to the eternal purposes of God, 
before the foundation of the world. 

In relation to the creation of the worlds, as above 
referred to by Paul, John, in the commencement of his 
Gospel, somewhat after the manner of a preface or intro- 
duction, writes: "In the beginning was the Word, and 
the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The 
same was in the beginning with God. All things were 
made by him ; and without him was not anything made 
that was made. In him was life; and the life was 
the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness; 
and the darkness comprehended it not." (John, i, 1 — 5.) 
Or to give the passage, in the wording of the inspired 
translation: "In the beginning was the Gospel preached 
through the Son. And the Gospel was the word, and 
the word was with the Son, and the Son was with God, 
and the Son was of God. The same was in the begin- 
ning with God. All things were made by him; and 
without him was not anything made which was made. 
In him was the Gospel, and the Gospel was the life, 
and the life was the light of men; and the light shin- 
eth in the world, and the world perceiveth it not." 
From the testimony of John, as given in the Book of 
Doctrine and Covenants, we also extract the following: 

"And he bore record, saying, I saw his glory that 
he was in the beginning before the world was; there- 
fore in the beginning the Word was, for he was the 
Word, even the messenger of salvation, the light and 
the Redeemer of the world; the Spirit of truth, who 
came into the world, because the world was made by 
him, and in him was the life of men and the light of 
men. The worlds were made by him: men were made 
by him: all things were made by him, and through 
him, and of him. And I, John, bear record that I 
beheld his glory, as the glory of the Only Begotten of 
the Father, full of grace and truth, even the Spirit of 
truth, which came and dwelt in the flesh, and dwelt 
among us." — Sec. xciii, 7-11, p. 329. 

Paul, likewise, in his Epistles, more than once 



90 



THE MEDIATION AND ATONEMENT. 



directs attention to this great truth. In writing to the 
Colossians he says : 

"For by him were all things created, that are in 
heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, 
whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, 
or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: 
and he is before all things, and by him all things con- 
sist."— Col., i, 16, 17. 

And to the Hebrews he writes, that God "hath in 
these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he 
hath appointed heir of all things, by vhoni also he 
made the worlds; who being the brightness of his glory, 
and the express image of his person, and upholding all 
things by the word of his power, when he had by 
himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand 
of the Majesty on high. — Heb., i, 2, 3. 

God revealed these things unto Moses; but his words 
in relation thereto are among the precious things that 
have been taken from the Scriptures by the iniquity of 
man; amongst those restored to us by modern revelation 
are the following words of God to that Patriarch with 
regard to the creation: 

"And by the word of my power have I created 
them, which is mine Only Begotten Son, who is full of 
grace and truth. And worlds without number hive I 
created; and I also created them for mine own purpose; 
and by the Son I created them, which is mine Only 
Begotten. And the first man of all men have I called 
Adam, which is many. But onl\ T an account of this 
earth, and the inhabitants thereof, give I unto you. 
For behold, there are many worlds which have passed 
away by the word of my power. And there are many 
also which now stand, and numberless are they unto 
man, but all things are numbered unto me, for they 
are mine and I know them." — Pearl of Great Price. 



* 



THE MEDIATION AND ATONEMENT. 



91 



CHAPTER XL 

Abraham's Record Concerning the Creation — The Council in Heaven — 
The Father's Plan, the Son's Acceptance, Satan's Rebellion — The 
Agency of Man— Suggestions Regarding Satan's Plan to Save All 
Mankind. 

The Lord also revealed to Abraham many great and 
glorious principles and truths relating to the creation. 
We extract the following from the fragment of the 
writings of that Patriarch, which has been graciously 
restored to us by the Lord in these days: 

"And the Gods prepared the earth to bring forth 
the living creature after his kind, cattle and creeping 
things, and beasts of the earth after their kind; and it 
was so, as they had said. And the Gods organized the 
earth to bring forth the beasts after their kind, the cat- 
tle after their kind, and everything that creepeth upon 
the earth after their kind; and the Gods saw they 
would obey. And the Gods took counsel among them- 
selves and said, Let us go down and form man in our 
image, after our likeness; and w T e will give them domin- 
ion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the 
air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and 
over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. 
So the Gods went down to organize man in their own 
image, in the image of the Gods to form they him, 
male and female, to form they them; and the Gods 
said, We will bless them. And the Gods said, We will 
cause them to be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish 
the earth, and subdue it, and to have dominion over 
the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and 
over every living thing that moveth upon the earth. 
And the Gods said, Behold, we will give them every 
herb bearing seed that shall come upon the face of all 
the earth, and every tree which shall have fruit upon 



92 



THE MEDIATION AND ATONEM ENT. 



it, yea, the fruit of the tree yielding seed to them 
we will give it; it shall be for their meat; and to 
every beast of the earth, and to every fowl of the 
air, and to every thing that creepeth upon the earth, 
behold, we will give them life, and also we will give 
to them every green herb for meat, and all these 
things shall be thus organized. And the Gods said, We 
will do every thing that we have said, and organize 
them; and behold, they shall be very obedient. And it 
came to pass that it was from evening until morning 
they called night; and it came to pass that it was from 
morning until evening that they called day; and they 
numbered the sixth time. 

"And thus we will finish the heavens and the earth, 
and all the hosts of them. And the Gods said among 
themselves, On the seventh time Ave will end our work 
which we have counseled; and we will rest on the 
seventh time from all our work which we have coun- 
seled. And the Gods concluded upon the seventh time, 
because that on the seventh time they would rest from 
all their works which they (the Gods) counseled among 
themselves to form, and sanctified it. And thus were 
their decisions at the time that they counseled among 
themselves to form the heavens and the earth. 

"And the Gods came down and formed these the 
generations of the heavens and of the earth, when they 
were formed in the day that the Gods formed the earth 
and the heavens, according to all that which they had 
said concerning every plant of the field before it was 
in the earth, and every herb of the field before it grew; 
for the Gods had not caused it to rain upon the earth 
when they counseled to do them, and had not formed 
a man to till the ground; but there went up a mist 
from the earth, and watered the whole face of the 
ground. And the Gods formed man from the dust of 
the ground, and took his spirit (that is, the man's 
spirit,) and put it into him, and breathed into his nos- 
trils the breath of life, and man became a living soul." 

Although this matter of the Council or Conference 



THE MEDIATION AND ATONEMENT. 



93 



is not so fully exhibited in the Old Testament Scrip- 
tures as in this revelation to Abraham, yet it is defi- 
nitely stated in the Book of Genesis that God said, 
"Let us make man in our image, after our likeness;" 
and again, after Adam had taken of the forbidden fruit 
the Lord said, " Behold, the man has become as one of 
us;" and the inference is direct that in all that related 
to the work of the creation of the world, there was a 
consultation; and though God spake as it is recorded in 
the Bible, yet it is evident He counseled with others. 
The Scriptures tell us there are " Gods many and Lords 
many. But to us there is but one God, the Father." 
(1 Cor., viii, 5.) And for this reason, though there were 
others engaged in the creation of the worlds, it is given 
to us in the Bible in the shape that it is; for the ful- 
ness of these truths is only revealed to highly favored 
persons for certain reasons known to God; as we are 
told in the Scriptures: "The secret of the Lord is 
with them that fear him; and he will show them his 
covenant." — Psalms, xxv, 14. 

It is consistent to believe that at this Council in 
the heavens the plan that should be adopted in relation 
to the sons of God who were then spirits, and had not 
yet obtained tabernacles, was duly considered. For, in 
view of the creation of the world and the placing of 
men upon it, whereby it would be possible for them to 
obtain tabernacles, and in those tabernacles obey laws of 
life, and with them again be exalted among the Gods, 
we are told, that at that time, "the morning stars sang 
together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy." The 
question then arose, how, and upon what principle, 
should the salvation, exaltation and eternal glory of 
God's sons be brought about? It is evident that at that 
Council certain pians had been proposed and discussed, 
and that after a full discussion of those principles, and 
the declaration of the Father's will pertaining to His 
design, Lucifer came before the Father, with a plan 
of his own, saying, " Behold I, send me, I will 
be thy Son, and I will redeem all mankind, that one 



94 



THE MEDIATION AND ATONEMENT. 



soul shall not be lost, and surely I will do it; where- 
fore, give me thine honor." But Jesus, on hearing 
this statement made by Lucifer, said, " Father, thy will 
be done, and the glory be thine forever." From these 
remarks made by the well beloved Son, we should 
naturally infer that in the discussion of this subject the 
Father had made known His will and developed His 
plan and design pertaining to these matters, and all that 
His well beloved Son wanted to do was to carry out 
the will of His Father, as it would appear had been 
before expressed. He also wished the glory to be given 
to His Father, who, as God the Father, and the origi- 
nator and designer of the plan, had a right to all the 
honor and glory. But Lucifer wanted to introduce a 
plan contrary to the will of his Father, and then 
wanted His honor, and said: "I will save every soul of 
man, wherefore give me thine honor." He wanted to go 
contrary to the will of his Father, and presumptuously 
sought to deprive man of his free agency, thus making 
him a serf, and placing him in a position in which it 
was impossible for him to obtain that exaltation which 
God designed should be man's, through obedience to the 
law which He had suggested; and again, Lucifer wanted 
the honor and power of his Father, to enable him to 
carry out principles which were contrary to the Father's 
wish. • 

And further, in regard to agency; if man had not 
had his agency, or if he had been deprived of his 
agency, he could not have been tempted of the devil, 
or of any other power; for if the will of God pre- 
vailed, and was carried out without man's action or 
agency, it would have been impossible for him to have 
done anything wrong, for he would have been deprived 
of the power of doing that wrong. This was the posi- 
tion that Satan desired to place, not only the spirits in 
the heavens, but also mankind upon the earth. And 
Satan said, "Surely I will save every one of them, 
wherefore, give me thine honor." But God's plan was 
different from this, and, as stated above, had been 



THE MEDIATION AND ATONEMENT. 



95 



decided upon in the Councils of heaven; and the Father 
had made a decree as to how these things should be 
done; and that both the inhabitants of heaven and the 
inhabitants of earth should have their free agency. It 
was against this that Lucifer rebelled; and he could 
not have rebelled against a plan or commandment that 
had not been given; for rebellion signifies a violation 
of law, command, or authority; and he was cast out 
of heaven because of this rebellion. This rebellion could 
not have existed without a free agency; for without a 
free agency they would all have been compelled to do 
the will of the Father. But having the free agency, 
they used it; and Lucifer and a third part of the 
angels were cast out because they rebelled and used 
this agency in opposition to their heavenly Father. 
And not only because they rebelled, but because, as 
stated, " they sought to destroy the agency of man ;' J 
and their agency would have been used in opposition to 
the interests, happiness and eternal exaltation of man- 
kind, which were proposed to be accomplished through 
the atonement and redemption provided by Jesus Christ. 
In accordance with this we find the following statements 
in the revelations given to the Prophet Joseph Smith: 

" Behold, the devil was before Adam, for he rebelled 
against me, saying, Give me thine honor, which is my 
power: and also a third part of the hosts of heaven 
turned he away from me because of their agency; and 
they were thrust down, and thus came the devil and 
his angels. And, behold, there is a place prepared for 
them from the beginning, which place is hell: and it 
must needs be that the devil should tempt the children 
of men, or they could not be agents unto themselves, 
for if they never should have bitter, they could not 
know the sweet." — Doc. and Cov., xxix, 36 — 39, p. 146. 

And again:; "And this we saw also, and bear record, 
that an angel of God who was in authority in the 
presence of God, who rebelled against the Only Begot- 
ten Son, whom the Father loved, and who was in the 
bosom of the Father — was thrust down from the pres- 



96 



THE MEDIATION AND ATONEMENT. 



ence of God and the Son, and was called ' Perdition, 
for the heavens wept over him — he was Lucifer, a son 
of the morning. And we beheld, and lo, he is fallen ! 
is fallen ! even a son of the morning. And while we 
were yet in the Spirit, the Lord commanded us that we 
should write the vision, for we beheld Satan, that old 
serpent — even the devil — who rebelled against God. and 
sought to take the kingdom of our God and his Christ." 
Doc. and Gov., lxxvi, 25— 28,- p. 267. 

The Father accepted the offer of His well beloved 
Son, and proceeded to carry out the decision of the 
Council, and, as we are informed in the Bible (inspired 
translation), God said to His Only Begotten, "Let us 
make man in our image, after our likeness, and it 
was so." 

There are other questions mixed up with this rebel- 
lion besides those above referred to, and those questions 
are directly connected with the atonement. In the event 
of man having his free will and being subject to the 
power of temptation, the weakness of the flesh, the 
allurements of the world, and the powers of darkness, 
it was known that he must necessarily fall, and being 
fallen, it would be impossible tor him to redeem him- 
self, and that, according to an denial law of justice, it 
would require an infinite, expiatory atonement to redeem 
man, to save him trom the effects and ruin of the 
Fall, and to place him in a condition where he could 
again be reinstated in the iavor of God, according to 
the eternal laws of justice and mercy; and find his way 
back to the presence of the Father. Satan (it is possi- 
ble) being opposed to the will of his Father, wished to 
avoid the responsibilities of this position, and rather 
than assume the consequences of the acceptance of the 
plan of the Father, he would deprive man of his free 
agency, and render it impossible for him to obtain that 
exaltation which God designed. It w r ould further seem 
probable that he refused to take the position of redeemer, 
and assume all the consequences associated therewith, 
but he did propose, as stated before, to take another 



THE MEDIATION AND ATONEMENT. 



97 



plan and deprive man of his agency, and he probably 
intended to make men atone for their own acts by an 
act of coercion, and the shedding of their own blood 
as an atonement for their sins ; therefore, he says, " I 
will redeem all mankind, that one soul shall not be 
lost; and surely I will do it; wherefore, give me thine 
honor." His plan, however, was rejected as contrary to 
the counsel of God, his Father. The well beloved Son 
then addressed the Father, and instead of proposing to 
carry out any plan of his own, knowing what His Father's 
will w^as, said, "Thy will be done;" T will carry out thy 
plans and thy designs, and, as man will fall, I will offer 
myself as an atonement according to thy will, 0 God. 
Neither do I wish the honor, but thine be the glory;'" 
and a covenant was entered into between Him and His 
Father, in which He agreed to atone for the sins of 
the world; and He thus, as stated, became the Lamb 
slain from before the foundation of the world. In this 
connection it is related by Abraham: 

"And there stood one among them that was like 
unto God, and he said unto those who were with him, 
We will go down, for there is space there, and we will 
take of these materials, and we will make an earth 
whereon these may dwell; and we will prove them 
herewith, to see if they will do all things whatsoever 
the Lord their God shall command them ; and they 
who keep their first estate, shall be added upon; and 
they who keep not their first estate, shall not have 
glory in the same kingdom with those who keep their 
first estate; and they who keep their second estate, shall 
have glory added upon their heads for ever and ever." 

And hence, as Jesus Himself said, "Thus it is 
written and thus it behooved Christ to suffer, and to 
rise from the dead the third day; and that repentance 
and remission of sins should be preached in his name 
among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem." 

We will now give in full the quotation from the 
Pearl of Great Price with regard to the above matter, 
and also add a short recapitulation. 

7 



98 



THE MEDIATION AND ATONEMENT. 



"And I, the Lord God, spake unto Moses, saying, 
That Satan, whom thou hast commanded in the name 
of mine Only Begotten, is the same which was from 
the beginning, and he came before me, saying, Behold I, 
send me, I will be thy son, and I will redeem all 
mankind, that one soul shall not be lost, and surely I 
will do it; wherefore give me thine honor. But, behold, 
my Beloved Son, which was my Beloved and Chosen 
from the beginning, said unto me, Father, thy will be 
done, and the glory be thine for ever. Wherefore, 
because that Satan rebelled against me, and sought to 
destroy the agency of man, which I, the Lord God, had 
given him, and also, that I should give unto him mine 
own power, by the power of mine Only Begotten I caused 
that he should be cast down, and he became Satan, yea, 
even the Devil, the father of all lies, to deceive, and 
to blind men, and to lead them captive at his will, 
even as many as would not hearken unto my voice." 

From the above we gather: First, that the proposition 
of Lucifer was an act of rebellion "against me" — God. 

Second, that God had already decreed that man 
should have his free agency, and this agency had been 
given to him by the Lord, as it is said, " which I, the 
Lord God, had given him." 

Third, that Lucifer coveted and asked for a power 
which was the prerogative of the Almighty and alone 
belonged to God; and which He called "mine own power." 

Fourth, that for this rebellion Lucifer was cast out 
and became Satan. 

Fifth, that the power by which he was cast out, 
was by a certain power or Priesthood which had been con- 
ferred by God on His Only Begotten; for he said, "By 
the power of mine Only Begotten I caused that he 
should be cast down." 

Sixth, that being cast down and becoming Satan, 
" even the devil, the father of lies," his office was to 
deceive and to blind men; as it is stated, "to deceive, 
and to blind men, and to lead them captive at his will, 
even as many as would not hearken unto my voice." 



THE MEDIATION AND ATONEMENT. 



CHAPTER XXI. 

Abraham, Isaac and Jacob— Sacrifices Offered by Them — Abraham and 
the Gospel Covenant — Extracts from the Book of Abraham and the 
Wiitings of Paul. 

We will now return to Abraham, who is denominated , 
the Father of the Faithful, and who, as we have before 
seen, was a contemporary of Melchizedek. The testimony 
in the Bible is direct and explicit that Abraham ful- 
filled the law requiring the offering of sacrifices, and 
furthermore was in possession of the principles of the 
Gospel and understood the saving value of the atonement- 

In the historical narrative of the Book of Genesis, 
we have numerous testimonies that Abraham offered up 
sacrifices, in connection with his worship of the Al- 
mighty. For instance, it is written: 

"And Abram passed through the land unto the place 
of Sichem, unto the plain of Moreh. And the Canaan- 
ite was then in the land. And the Lord appeared unto 
Abram, and said, Unto thy seed will I give this land; 
and there builded he an altar unto the Lord, who 
appeared unto him. And he removed from thence unto 
a mountain on the east of Beth-el, and pitched his tent, 
having Beth-el on the west, and Hai on the east: and 
there he builded an altar unto the Lord, and called 
upon the name of the Lord." — Gen., xii, 6 — 8. 

In the next chapter we are told that Abraham 
"went on his journeys from the south even to Beth-el, 
unto the place where his tent had been at the begin- 
ning, between Beth-el and Hai; unto the place of the 
altar, which he had made there at the first: and there 
Abram called on the name of the Lord." — Gen., xiii, 3, 4. 

And afterwards he removed his "tent, and came and 
dwelt in the plain of Mamre, which is in Hebron, and 
built there an altar unto the Lord." — Gen., xiii, 18. 



100 



THE MEDIATION AND ATONEMENT. 



The Book of Abraham gives some further details on 
these matters. The Patriarch therein states: 

"Now I, Abraham, built an altar in the land of Jer- 
shon, and made an offering unto the Lord, and prayed 
that the famine might be turned away from my father's 
house, that they might not perish; and then we passed 
from Jershon through the land, unto the place of Sechem. 
It was situated in the plains of Moreh, and we had 
already come into the borders of the land of the 
, Canaanites, and I offered sacrifice there in the plains of 
Moreh, and called on the Lord devoutly, because we 
had already come into the land of this idolatrous 
nation. And the Lord appeared unto me in answer to 
my prayers, and said unto me, Unto thy seed will I 
give this land. And I, Abraham, arose from the place 
of the altar which I had built unto the Lord, and 
removed from thence unto a mountain on the east of 
Bethel, and pitched my tent there, Bethel on the west, 
and Hai on the east: and there I built another altar 
unto the Lord, and called again upon the name of 
the Lord." — Pearl of Great Piice. 

Although full details are not given of the mode of 
sacrifice in those ancient times, nor of all the creatures 
that were acceptable unto the Lord, in the performance 
of this rite, yet the narrative of the contemplated sacrifice 
of Isaac by his father is indicative of the principle being 
well understood. We are told that the young man said: 
"My Father: and he said, Here am I, my son. And he 
said, Behold the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb 
for a burnt-offering? And Abraham said, My son, God 
will provide himself a lamb for a burnt-offering." — Gen., 
xxii, 7, 8. 

It is evident from other scriptures that Abraham 
offered up these sacrifices in token of the great expiatory 
sacrifice of the Son of God. Indeed the Redeemer him- 
self told the Jews, "Your father Abraham rejoiced to see 
my day: and he saw it, and was glad." — John, viii, 56. 

In confirmation of this statement we read in the 
inspired translation of the Book of Genesis that the Lord 



THE MEDIATION AND ATONEMENT. 



101 



said to Abraham, in relation to his possession of the land 
ot Canaan, ''Though thou wast dead, yet am 1 not able to 
give it thee? And if thou shalt die, yet thou shalt possess 
it, for the day cometh that the Son of Man shall live; 
but how can he live if he be not dead? He must first 
be quickened. And it came to pass, that Abram looked 
forth and saw the days of the Son of Man, and was glad, 
and his soul found rest, and he believed in the Lord: and 
the Lord counted it unto him for righteousness." 

Again, Paul, in writing to the Galatians, states: 
"And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the 
heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto 
Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed. So 
then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful 
Abraham." — Gal, iii, 8, 9. 

This promise is corroborated by the statements of 
Peter to the Jews: 

"Ye are the children of the prophets, and of the cov- 
enant which God made with our fathers, saying unto 
Abraham, And in thy seed shall all the kindreds of the 
earth be blessed. Unto you first, God, having raised up 
his Son Jesus, sent him to bless you, in turning away 
every one of you from his iniquities." — Acts, iii, 25, 26. 

The record ot this covenant is to be found in the 
Book of Genesis, as follows : 

"Now the Lord had said unto Abram, Get thee out 
of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy 
father's house, unto a land that I will show thee ; and 
1 will make of thee a great nation ; and I will 
bless thee, and make thy name great ; and I will 
bless them that bless thee, and curse him that 
curseth thee, and in thee shall all families of the earth 
be blessed." — Gen., xii, 1 — 3. * 

It will be noticed in the above quotation from the 
Book of Genesis, that no reference is made to the 
preaching of the Gospel to Abraham in connection with 
these great promises as spoken of by Paul. This de- 



* See also Genesis, xviii, 18 ; xxii, 18. 



102 



THE -MEDIATION AND ATONEMENT. 



ftciency is supplied by the Book or Abraham, wherein 
the covenant between God and His faithful servant is 
given at greater jength. In that covenant we find the 
following . 

"My name is Jehovah, and I will make of thee 
a great nation and 1 will bless thee above measure, 
and make thy name great among all nations, and thou 
shalt be a blessing unto thy seed alter thee, that in 
their hands they shall bear this ministry and priest- 
hood unto all nations, and I will bless them through 
thy name ; for as many as receive this Gospel shall be 
called after thy name, and shall be accounted thy seed, 
and shall rise up and bless thee, as their father; and 
I will bless them that bless thee, and curse them 
that curse thee ; and in thee (that is, in thy priest- 
hood) and in thy seed, (that is, thy priesthood,) for I 
give unto thee a promise that this right shail continue 
in thee, and in thy seed after thee, (that is to say,, 
the literal seed, or the seed of the body,) shall all 
the families of the earth be blessed, even with the 
blessings of the Gospel, which are the blessings of salva- 
tion, even of life eternal/' 

Of the personal history of Isaac we have but a 
very meagre account in the Bible ; however, sufficient is 
said to inform us that he, like his father, offered up 
sacrifices, that his offering was acceptable to God, and 
that He renewed with him the covenant previously 
made with Abraham. Of Isaac it is written: "And he 
went up from thence to Beer-sheba. And the Lord ap- 
peared unto him the same night, and said, I am the 
God of Abraham thy lather : fear not, for I am with 
thee, and will bless thee, and multiply thy seed for my 
servant Abraham's sake. And he builded an altar there, 
and called upon the name of the Lord." — Gen., xxvi, 
23—25. 

Jacob followed in the footsteps of his father. He 
worshipped the true and living God, and had the 
blessings of his fathers confirmed on him. Regarding 
sacrilices we are informed that, after his sudden departure 



THE MEDIATION AND ATONEMENT. 



103 



from Laban and their later somewhat stormy interview, 
"Jacob offered sacrifice upon the mount" (Gen., xxxi, 
52); and again, shortly after, by command of the Lord, 
he journeyed to Bethel, "and he built there an altar 
and called the place El-beth-el," or the House of God. — 
Gen., xxxv, 7. 



CHAPTER XIII. 

Sacrifices in the Days of Moses— The Institution of the Passover and 
the Exodus— The Symbolism of the Paschal Lamb — The Covenant of 
the Atonement between Christ and His Father — The Redeemed — 
Tokens of Covenants — The Rainbow — The Name of Jesus the Only 
Name— The Levites. 

In regard to the offering of sacrifices, it is very evi- 
dent that in the days of Moses the children of Israel 
were quite familiar with this rite, as also were the 
Egyptians. For one great request which Moses and 
Aaron made of Pharaoh, King of Egypt, was, " Let us 
go, we pray thee, three days' journey into the des- 
ert, and sacrifice unto the Lord our God;" and as a 
reason why they should thus go into the wilderness it 
was urged by them, when the Egyptian monarch said, 
" Go ye, sacrifice to your God in the land," that " it is 
not meet so to do; for we shall sacrifice the abomina- 
tion of the Egyptians to the Lord our God: lo, shall 
we sacrifice the abomination of the Egyptians before 
their eyes, and will they not stone us? We will go 
three days' journey into the wilderness, and sacrifice to 
the Lord our God, as he shall, command us." — Ex., viii, 
26, 27. 

It is further stated, that after a time, when all 



104 



THE MEDIATION AND ATONEMENT. 



other judgments had failed to bring about the desired 
effect with Pharaoh, that "Moses said, Thus saith the 
Lord, About midnight will I go out into the midst of 
Egypt: and all the first-born in the land of Egypt shall 
die, from the first-born of Pharaoh that sitteth upon 
his throne, even unto the first-born of the maid-servant 
that is behind the mill; and all the first-born of beasts. 
And there shall be a great cry throughout all the land 
of Egypt, such as there was none like it, nor shall be 
like it any more. But against any of the children of 
Israel shall not a dog move his tongue, against man or 
beast: that ye may know how that the -Lord doth put a 
difference between the Egyptians and Israel." — Ex., xi, 4 — 7. 

The next chapter gives the history of the fulfil- 
ment of this threatened judgment and the results that 
flowed therefrom. It is recorded: 

"And the Lord spake unto Moses and Aaron in the 
land of Egypt, saying, This month shall be unto you 
the beginning of months; it shall be the first month of 
the year to you. Speak ye unto all the congregation of 
Israel, saying, In the tenth day of this month they 
shall take to them every man a lamb according to the 
house of their fathers, a lamb for an house: and if the 
household be too little for the lamb, let him and his 
neighbor next unto his house take it according to the 
number of the souls : every man according to his eat- 
ing shall make your count for the lamb. Your lamb 
shall be without blemish, a male of the first year: ye 
shall take it out from the sheep or from the goats: 
and ye shall keep it up until the fourteenth day of 
the same month: and the whole assembly of the con- 
gregation of Israel shall kill it in the evening. And 
they shall take of the blood, and strike it on the two 
side-posts, and on the upper door-post of the houses, 
wherein they shall eat it. And they shall eat the flesh 
in that night, roast with fire, and unleavened bread; 
and with bitter herbs they shall eat it." — Ex., xii, 1 — 8. 

"And thus shall ye eat it; with your loins girded 
your shoes on your feet, and your staff in your hand: 



THE MEDIATION AND ATONEMENT. 105 

and ye shall eat it in haste ; it is the Lord's passover. 
For I will pass through the land of Egypt this night, 
and will smite all the first-born in the land of Egypt, 
both man and beast: and against all the gods of Egypt 
I will execute judgment: I am the Lord. And the 
blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses 
where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass 
over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to 
destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt. And this 
day shall be unto you for a memorial ; and ye shall 
keep it a feast to the Lord throughout your generations: 
ye shall keep it a feast by an ordinance for ever." — 
Ex., xii, 11—14. 

"Then Moses called for all the Elders of Israel, 
and said unto them, Draw out, and take 3 r ou a lamb, 
according to your families, and kill the passover. And 
ye shall take 1 a bunch of hyssop, and dip it in the 
blood that is in the basin, and strike the lintel and 
the two side-posts with the blood that is in the basin : 
and none of you shall go out at the door of his house 
until the morning. For the Lord will pass through to 
smite the Egyptians; and when he seeth the blood upon 
the lintel, and on the two side-posts, the Lord will pass 
over the door, and will not suffer the destroyer to come 
in unto your houses to smite you. And ye shall observe 
this thing for an ordinance to thee and to thy sons for 
ever."— Ex., xii, 21—24. 

"And the children of Israel went away, and did as 
the Lord had commanded Moses and Aaron, so did 
they. And it came to pass, that at midnight the Lord 
smote all the first-born in the land of Egypt, from the 
first-born of Pharaoh that sat on his throne, unto the 
first-born of the captive that was in the dungeon; and 
all the first-born of cattle. And Pharaoh rose up in 
the night, he, and all his servants, and all the Egyp- 
tians; and there was a great cry in Egypt : for there 
was not a house where there was not one dead. And 
he called for Moses and Aaron by night, and said, Rise 
up, and get you forth from among my people, both ye 



106 



THE MEDIATION AND ATONEMENT. 



and the children of Israel: and go, serve the Lord, as 
ye have said. Also take your flocks and your herds, as 
ye have said, and be gone: and bless me also. And 
the Egyptians were urgent upon the people, that they 
might send them out of the land in haste; for they 
said, We be all dead men."— Ex., xii, 28—33. 

i It is further said: "And it shall be when thy son ask- 
eth.thee in time to come, saying, What is this? that thou 
shalt say unto him, By strength of hand the Lord brought 
us out from Egypt, from the house of bondage ; and it 
came to pass, when Pharaoh would hardly let us go, that 
the Lord slew all the first-born in the land of Egypt, 
both the first-born of man, and the first-born of beasts; 
therefore I sacrifice to the Lord all that openeth the 
matrix, being males; but all the first-born of my chil- 
dren I redeem." — Ex., xiii, 14, 15. 

From the above quotations, amongst of her important 
matters, it appears, that when the destroying angel passed 
by the houses of the children of Israel he found the 
blood of a lamb sprinkled on the door post; wdiich was 
a type of the blood of Christ, the Lamb of God. The 
angel who was the executor of justice could not touch 
those who w r ere protected by that sacred symbol; because 
that prefigured the sacrifice of the Son of God, which 
w r as provided at the beginning of creation for the 
redemption of the human family, and which was strictly 
in accordance with provisions then made by the 
Almighty for that purpose — "the Lamb slain from 
before the foundation of the world" — and accepted in 
full as an atonement for the transgressions of mankind, 
according to the requirements of eternal justice and 
agreed to by the Savior and His Father. A proposition 
is made to meet the requirements of justice, w T hich pro- 
posal is accepted by the ( contracting parties, all these 
contracting parties being satisfied with the arrangement 
thus made. Hence it is said by one of the prophets: 
"Then he is gracious unto him, and saith, Deliver him 
from going down to the pit: I have found a ransom." 
—Job, xxxiii, 24. 



THE MEDIATION AND ATONEMENT. 



107 



And farther: "Therefore the redeemed of the Lord 
shall return, and come with singing unto Zion; and 
everlasting joy shall be upon their head: they shall 
obtain gladness and joy; and sorrow and mourning shall 
flee away." — Isaiah, li, 11. 

Who are the redeemed, except those who have 
accepted the terms of the ransom thus provided? The 
ransom being provided and accepted, the requirements of 
justice are met, for those contracts are provided and 
sanctioned by the highest contracting parties that can be 
found in the heavens, and the strongest, most indubita- 
ble and infinite assurances are given for the fulfilment 
of that contract, and until the contract is fulfilled the 
15 sacrifices are offered as a token and remembrance of 
the engagements and covenants entered into. God gave 
a token to Noah, of a rainbow, which should be a sign 
between Him and mankind that He would nevermore 
destroy the earth by water; He accepted these sacrifices 
as a token of the covenant that the Messiah should 
come to take away sin by the sacrifice of Himself, and 
thus fulfil the covenant, pertaining to this matter, made 
before the world was. 

And again there was another token, which was 
given to Adam by an angel. This holy messenger said 
to our great father, "Thou shalt do all that thou doest 
in the name of the Son. And thou shalt repent, and 
call upon God, in the name of the Son for evermore." 
(Pearl of Great Price.) For, as expressed in the New 
Testament, "there is none other name under heaven 
given among men, whereby we must be saved." (Acts 
iv, 12.) Or, to quote from the Book of Mormon, 
"There shall be no other name given, nor any other 
way nor means whereby salvation can come unto the 
children of men, only in and through the name of 
Christ, the Lord Omnipotent." And furthermore, that 
name, or token, will continue to be given until the 
Scripture is fulfilled which saith: "Wherefore God also 
hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which 
is above every name: that at the name of Jesus every 



108 



THE MEDIATION AND ATONEMENT. 



knee shall bow, of things in heaven, and things in 
earth, and things under the earth; and that every 
tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the 
glory of God the Father."— Phil., ii, 9—11. 

Again, the Lord, through the sprinkling of the 
blood of a lamb on the door-posts of the Israelites, 
having saved the lives of all the first-born of Israel, 
made a claim upon them for their services in His 
cause. It is written: 

"And I, behold, 1 have taken the Levites from 
among the children of Israel instead of all the first-born 
that openeth the matrix among the children of Israel; 
therefore the Levites shall be mine; because all the 
first-born are mine; for on the day that I smote all 
the first-born in the land of Egypt I hallowed unto 
me all the first-born in Israel, both man and beast; 
mine they shall be: I am the Lord." — Num., iii, 12, 13. 

But the first-born of the Egyptians, for whom no 
lamb as a token of the propitiation was offered, were 
destroyed. It was through the propitiation and atone- 
ment alone that the Israelites were saved, and, under 
the circumstances they must have perished with the 
Egyptians, who were doomed, had it not been for the 
contemplated atonement and propitiation of Christ, of 
which this was a figure. 

Hence the Lord claimed those that He saved as 
righteously belonging to Him, and claiming them as His 
He demanded their services; but afterwards, as shown 
in the above quotation, He accepted the tribe of Levi 
in lieu of the first-born of Israel; and as there were 
more of the first-born than there were of the Levites, 
the balance had to be redeemed with money, which was 
given to Aaron, as the great High Priest and represen- 
tative of the Aaronic Priesthood, he being also a Levite. 
(See Numbers, iii, 50, 51.) 



THE MEDIATION AND ATONEMENT. 



CHAPTER XI V.' 

History of Sacrifices aud the Law of Moses among the Nephites— 
References to the Books of Nephi, Jacob, Mosiah and Alma — The 
Testimony of Jesus regarding the Law of Moses. 

From the Bible we turn to the Book of Mormon, 
with a view to discover to what extent the law of sac- 
rifice, as a type of the offering up of the promised 
Messiah, was observed among that branch of the house 
of Israel which God planted on this continent. In 
perusing the pages of this sacred record, we shall find 
several important facts and ideas, in connection with 
this subject, presented very prominently by the ancient 
Nephite historians: among them — 

First, that the law of Moses, with all its rites, 
ordinances, and sacrifices, was strictly observed by the 
faithful Nephites from the time of their arrival on the 
promised land, until it was fulfilled in Christ, and by 
his command ceased to be observed. 

Second, that when the Nephites brought any of the 
Lamanites to the knowledge and worship of the true 
God, they taught them to observe this law. 

Third, that those who apostatized from the Nephites, 
as a general thing, ceased to observe this law. 

Fourth, that the true import of the law of Moses, 
and of its ceremonies and sacrifices, as typical of the 
atonement yet to be made by our Lord and Savior, was 
thoroughly taught by the Priesthood among that- peo- 
ple, and very generally understood by them. 

Fifth, that associated with the observance of this 
law, there were continued admonitions given that salva- 
tion was in Christ and not in the law, which was but 
the shadow and type of that of which he was the pro- 
totype and reality. 

Sixth, that temples were erected of the same pattern 



110 



THE MEDIATION AND ATONEMENT. 



as that of Solomon at Jerusalem, evidently for the rea- 
son that they were to be used for the same purposes. 

Seventh, that the Gospel was preached in connection 
with the law, and churches were established and organ- 
ized according to the Gospel requirements, and that the 
higher Priesthood, although not fully organized in all 
its parts, ministered to the Nephites as well as the 
lesser. 

Eighth, it appears indubitable from the two records, 
the Bible and the Book of Mormon, that the intent 
and true meaning of the law of Moses, of its sacrifices, 
etc., were far better understood and comprehended by 
the Nephites than b}^ the Jews. But in this connection, 
it must not be forgotten, that a great many most plain 
and precious things, as the Book of Mormon states, 
have been taken from the Bible, through the ignor- 
ance of uninspired translators or the design and cun- 
ning of wicked men. 

As might naturally be expected, we find that Lehi. 
like his forefathers of the Mosaic age, offered sacrifices 
to the Lord during his journeyings in the wilderness. 
These sacrifices were occasions of thanksgiving and 
praise to God. As examples, Ave note the occasion of 
the safe return of Lehi's sons from Jerusalem with the 
records, when, we are told by Nephi, their parents " did 
rejoice exceedingly, and did offer sacrifice and burnt 
offerings unto the Lord; and they gave thanks unto the 
God of Israel. And after they had given thanks unto 
the God of Israel, my father, Lehi, took the records 
which were engraven upon the plates of brass, and he 
did search them from the beginning. — 1 Nephi, v, 9, 10. 

Another occasion was when Nephi and his brethren 
again returned from the Holy City, bringing with them 
Ishmael and his family. Of this Nephi writes: "After 
I and my brethren, and all the house of Ishmael, had 
come down unto the tent of my father, they did give 
thanks unto the Lord their God; and they did offer 
sacrifice and burnt offerings unto him." — 1 Nephi, vii, 22. 

After the arrival of the colony on the promised 



THE MEDIATION AND ATONEMENT. 



Ill 



land and the death of Lehi, his sons and their families 
divided into two communities, or nationalities; the one 
righteous and Godfearing, the other rebellious and 
debased. Owing to the contentious and quarrelsome dis- 
position of the latter, who recognized Laman, Lehi's eld- 
est son, as their head, the portion who sought to serve 
the Lord, for the sake of peace and security moved 
some distance to the northward. Nephi was their leader, 
and of them he records: 

"And all those who were with me, did take upon 
them to call themselves the people of Nephi. And we 
did observe to keep the judgments, and the statutes, 
and the commandments of the Lord in all things, 
according to the law of Moses. And the Lord was with 
us : and we did prosper exceedingly." — 2 Nephi, v, 
9—11. 

One of the first things that the Nephites did on their 
arrival at their new home w T as to build a temple. They 
could not keep the judgments, the commandments, and 
the statutes of the Lord in all things, according to the 
law of Moses, unless they did so; and necessarily it 
was fashioned after the one at Jerusalem, for it was to 
be used for the same purposes; in it the same ordi- 
nances were to be performed, the same sacrifices were 
to be offered. Nephi writes: 

"And I, Nephi, did build a temple: and I dia 
construct it after the manner of the temple of Solomon, 
save it were not built of so many precious things; for 
they were not to be found upon the land; - wherefore, 
it could not be built like unto Solomon's temple. But 
the manner of the construction was like unto the tem- 
ple of Solomon; and the workmanship thereof was exceed- 
ing fine."— 2 Nephi, v, 16. 

Thus the fulfilling of the Divine commandments 
was provided for; a place was erected where the law of 
Moses could be carried out, and the sacrifices be offered 
which formed so important a part of that code. 

The Nephites were not left by their Priesthood in 
ignorance of the intent and symbolism of these ceremo- 



112 



THE MEDIATION AND ATONEMENT. 



nies. They were not unmeaning, burdensome, spiritless 
performances to them. N.ephi and his successors were 
particularly careful in explaining that these ordinances, 
like all other rites of the Church of God, had their 
value in their association with or being .directly typical 
of the great, infinite sacrifice of atonement to be offered 
up by the Lamb of God in His own person. Nephi 
informs us : 

"Behold, my soul clelighteth in proving unto my 
people the truth of the coming of Christ: for, for this 
end hath the law of Moses been given; and all things 
which have been given of God from the beginning of 
the world, unto man, are the typifying of him." — 2 
Nephi, xi, 4. 

And a little later he writes: 

"And notwithstanding we believe in Christ, we keep 
the law of Moses, and look forward with steadfastness 
unto Christ, until the law shall be fulfilled; for, for 
this end was the law given; wherefore the law hath 
become dead unto us, and we are made alive in Christ, 
because of our faith; yet we keep the law because of 
the commandments; and we talk of Christ, we rejoice 
in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ, 
and we write according to our prophecies, that our chil- 
dren may know to what source they may look for a 
remission of their sins. Wherefore, we speak concerning 
the law, that our children may know the deadness of 
the law; and they, by knowing the deadness of the law, 
may look forward to the life which is in Christ, and 
know for what end the law was given. And after the 
law is fulfilled in Christ, that they need not harden 
their hearts against him, when the law ought to be 
done away." — 2 Nephi, xxv, 24 — 27. 

Which agrees with the statement of Paul: "Where- 
fore the law was our schoolmaster, to bring us unto 
Christ, that we might be justified by faith." 

So firm a foundation having been laid for the faith 
of the Nephite people, we find that in every period of 
their history they retained their reverence for the law 



THE MEDIATION AND ATONEMENT. 



113 



of Moses, though disputations sometimes arose, by reason 
of iniquity, with regard to its symbolism or its saving 
quality. The apostates, who separated themselves from the 
Church, occasionally fell into the grievous error ef exalt- 
ing the law above the Gospel, and, whilst maintaining 
its divine origin, they ignored its typical value and 
denied that it was a preparatory system leading to a 
higher, holier and more perfect law; they refused to 
recognize it as a schoolmaster to bring them to Christ. 
The first of these apostacies occurred in the days of 
Jacob, the brother of Nephi. With regard to the people 
in general, he writes: 

"Behold, they believed in Christ and worshipped 
the Father in his name, and also we worship the 
Father in his name. And for this intent we keep the 
law of Moses, it pointing our souls to him; and for 
this cause it is sanctified unto us for righteousness, even 
as it was accounted unto Abraham in the wilderness, to 
be obedient unto the commandments of God in offering 
up his son Isaac, which is a similitude of God and his 
only begotten Son." — Jacob, iv, 5. 

But while the majority of the Nephites fully recog- 
nized these saving truths, there arose a man named 
Sherem, who disputed and denied that the law pointed 
the souls of men to Christ, as the great Propitiator for 
sin and the Redeemer of the world. 

This Sherem declared unto the people that there 
should be no Christ, and his flatteries and sophistries 
led away many people. Of him and his doings Jacob 
writes : 

"And it came to pass that he came unto me; and 
on this wise did he speak unto me, saying: Brother 
Jacob, I have sought much opportunity that I might 
speak unto you: for I have heard and also know, that 
thou goest about much, preaching that which you call 
the gospel, or the doctrine of Christ; and ye have led 
away much of this people, that they pervert the right 
way of God, and keep not the law of Moses, which is 
the right way: and convert the law of Moses into the 

8 



114 THE MEDIATION AND ATONEMENT. 

worship of a being, which ye say shall come many 
hundred years hence. And now behold, I, Sherem, 
declare unto you, that this is blasphemy; for no man 
knoweth of such things; for he cannot tell of things 
to come. And after this manner did Sherem contend 
against me. But behold, the Lord God poured in his 
Spirit into my soul, insomuch that I did confound him 
in all his words. And I said unto him, Deniest thou 
the Christ who should come? And he said, If there 
should be a Christ, I would not deny -him; but I know 
that there is no Christ, neither has been, nor ever will 
be. And I said unto him, Believest thou the scriptures? 
And he said, Yea. And I said unto him, Then ye do 
not understand them; for they truly testify of Christ. 
Behold, I say unto you, that none of the prophets 
have written, nor prophesied, save they have spoken 
concerning this Christ. And this is not all: it has been 
made manifest unto me, for I have heard and seen- 
and it also has been made manifest unto me by the 
power of the Holy Ghost; wherefore, I know, if there 
should be no atonement made, all mankind must be 
lost." — Jacob, vii, 6—12. 

Somewhat similar was the argument that took place 
between the martyr Abinadi and the apostate priests of 
the iniquitous Noah, king of the land of Lehi-Nephi. 
They officiated in the Temple, observed the outward forms 
of the Mosaic law, but revelled in licentiousness, *covet- 
ousness, gluttony and all manner of iniquity. To them 
was Abinadi sent to warn them and their king of the 
results of their mutual wrong doing. In the account of 
this mission of Abinadi we read that he said: 

" Ye have not applied your hearts to understanding; 
therefore, ye have not been wise. Therefore, What teach 
ye this people? And they said, We teach the law of 
Moses. And again he said unto them, If ye teach the 
law of Moses why do ye not keep it? Why do ye set 
your hearts upon riches? Why do ye commit whore- 
doms and spend your strength with harlots, yea, and 
cause this people to commit sin, that the Lord has 



THE MEDIATION AND ATONEMENT. 115 

cause to send me to prophesy against this people, yea, 
even a great evil against this people? Know ye not 
that I speak the truth? Yea, ye know that I speak the 
truth; and you ought to tremble before God. And it 
shall come to pass that ye shall be smitten for your 
iniquities: for ye have said that ye teach the law 
of Moses. And what know ye concerning the law of 
Moses? Does salvation come by the law of Moses? 
What say ye? And they answered and said, that sal- 
vation did come by the law of Moses. But now Abin- 
adi said unto them, I know if ye keep the command- 
ments of God ye shall be saved; yea, if ye keep the 
commandments which the Lord delivered unto Moses in 
the mount of Sinai." — Mos., xii, 27 — 33. 

He then rehearsed to them the commandments; after 
which he again inquired: 

"Have ye taught this people that they should 
observe to do all these things? for to keep these com- 
mandments? I say unto you nay; for if ye had, the 
Lord would not have caused me to come forth and to 
prophesy evil concerning this people. And now ye have 
said that salvation cometh by the law of Moses. I say 
unto you that it is expedient that ye should keep the 
law of Moses as yet ; but I say unto you, that the 
time shall come when it shall no more be expedient to 
keep the law of Moses. And moreover, I say unto you, 
that salvation doth not come by the law alone; and 
were it not for the atonement which God himself shall 
make for the sins and iniquities of his people, that 
they must unavoidably perish, notwithstanding the law 
of Moses. And now I say unto you, that it was expe- 
dient that there should be 'a law given to the children 
of Israel, yea, even a very strict law; for they were a 
stiff-necked people; quick to do iniquity, and slow to 
remember the Lord their God; therefore there was a 
law given them, yea, a law of performances and of 
ordinances, a law which they were to observe strictly, 
from day to day, to keep them in remembrance of God, 
and their duty towards him. But behold, I say unto 



116 



THE MEDIATION AND ATONEMENT. 



you, that all these things were types of things to come. 
And now, did they understand the law? I say unto 
you, Nay, they did not all understand the law; and 
this because of the hardness of their hearts; for they 
understood not that there could not any man be saved, 
except it were through the redemption of God. For 
behold, did not Moses prophesy unto them concerning 
the coming of the Messiah, and that God should redeem 
his people, yea, and even all the prophets who have 
prophesied ever since the world began? Have they not 
spoken more or less concerning these things?" — Mos., 
xiii, 25—33. 

At this time the righteous Nephites in the land of 
Zarahemla were keeping the law of Moses strictly, so 
far as its outward ordinances were concerned, and under- 
standing^ with regard to its symbolism and similitudes. 
When the obedient Nephites were led out of the land 
of Nephi by Mosiah, they found in the land, afterwards 
called Zarahemla, a people who proved to be a branch 
of the house of Israel, but who, owing to the fact that 
they had no records nor scriptures, had corrupted their 
language, failed to observe the law of Moses, and had 
so far fallen that they actually denied the existence of 
God. Mosiah and the Nephites amalgamated with this 
people, taught them their language, instructed them in 
the worship of God and built a temple in that land, 
which indeed they made their permanent home. Mosiah 
had a son called Benjamin, who ruled in righteousness 
all the days of his long life. Shortly before his death 
he instructed his son Mosiah to gather the people to the 
temple, that he might give them a charge and nominate 
his successor. It is written: 

'After Mosiah had done as his father had commanded 
him, and had made a proclamation throughout all the 
land, that the people gathered themselves together through- 
out all the land, that they might go up to the temple to 
hear the words which king Benjamin should speak unto 
them. And there were a great number, even so many 
that they did not number them; for they had multi- 



THE MEDIATION AND ATONEMENT. 



117 



plied exceedingly, and waxed great in the land. And 
they also took of the firstlings of their flocks, that they 
might offer sacrifice and burnt offerings, according to the 
law of Moses." — Mos., ii, 1 — 3. 

Here we observe that the law in relation to sacri- 
fices and burnt offerings was still faithfully observed, 
although nearly five hundred years had passed since 
Lehi left Jerusalem; for the colony which he led 
started on their eventful journey six hundred years 
before the birth of Christ, whilst this gathering took 
place one hundred and twenty-five years before that 
same most important appearing. 

During the days that the Judges ruled the Nephrites 
the righteous portion of that people continued to observe 
the requirements of this law. We will simply give two 
quotations from the Book of Alma on this point, though 
the references are numerous. The first is: 

" Yea, and they did keep the law of Moses ; for it 
was expedient that they should keep the law of Moses 
as yet, for it was not all fulfilled. But notwithstanding 
the law of Moses, they did look forward to the coming 
of Christ, considering that the law of Moses was a type 
of his coming, and believing that they must keep those 
outward performances, until the time that he should be 
revealed unto them. Now they did not suppose that 
salvation came by the law of Moses ; but the law of 
Moses did serve to strengthen their faith in Christ; and 
thus they did retain a hope through faith, unto eternal 
salvation, relying upon the spirit of prophecy, which 
spake of those things to come."— Alma, xxv, 15, 16. 

With this the words of Paul, when speaking on 
this subject, precisely agree: "But before faith came, we 
were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith, which 
should afterwards be revealed. Wherefore the law was 
our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might 
be justified by faith."— Gal., iii, 23, 24. 

The second quotation is: 

"Therefore it is expedient that there should be a 
great and last sacrifice; and then shall there be, or" it 



118 



THE MEDIATION AND ATONEMENT. 



is expedient that there should be, a stop to the shed- 
ding of blood; then shall the law of Moses be fulfilled; 
yea, it shall be all fulfilled; every jot and tittle, and 
none shall have passed away. And behold, this is the 
whole meaning of the law; every whit pointing to that 
great and last sacrifice; and that great and last sacrifice 
will be the Son of God: yea, infinite and eternal." — 
Alma, xxxiv, 13, 14. 

But some of those who apostatized from the Nephites 
and organized churches of their own ceased to keep this 
law. Such a sect were the Zoramites, of whom it is 
written : 

"Now the Zoramites were dissenters from the Ne- 
phrites; therefore they had the word of God preached 
unto them. But they had fallen into great errors, for 
they would not observe to keep the commandments of 
God, and his statutes, according to the law of Moses; 
neither would they observe the performances of the 
church, to continue in prayer and supplication to God 
daily, that they might not enter into temptation; yea, 
in fine, they did pervert the ways of the Lord in very 
many instances." — Alma, xxxi, 8 — 11. 

Shortly after the appearance of the signs that betok- 
ened the birth of the Savior at Bethlehem, there arose 
a few among the Nephites who endeavored "to prove 
by the Scriptures that it was no more expedient to 
observe the law of Moses. Now in this thing they did 
err, having not understood the Scriptures. But it came 
to pass that they soon became converted, and were con- 
vinced of the error which they were in, for it was 
made known unto them that the law was not yet ful- 
filled."— 3 Nephi, i, 24, 25. 

After His resurrection, Jesus, in His ministrations in 
the midst of the Nephites, perceiving that they won- 
dered regarding the fulfilment of the law of Moses, 
said unto the listening multitude, "Behold, I say unto 
you that the law is fulfilled that was given unto Moses. 
Behold, I am he that gave the law, and I am he who 
covenanted with my people Israel; therefore the law in 



THE MEDIATION AND ATONEMENT. 



119 



me is fulfilled, for I have come to fulfil the law; there- 
fore it hath an end. Behold, I do not destroy the 
prophets, for as many as have not been fulfilled in me, 
verily I say unto you, shall all be fulfilled. And because 
I said unto you that old things hath passed away, I 
do not destroy that which hath been spoken concerning 
things which are to come. For behold, the covenant 
which I have made with my people is not all fulfilled; 
but the law which was given unto Moses hath an end 
in me."— 3 Nephi, xv, 4 — 8. 



CHAPTER XV. 

The Offering of Sacrifice in the Times of the Restitution of all 
Things — Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith thereon — The Sons 
ol Levi — Malachi's Prophecy — The Dispensation of the Fulness of 
Times. 

It would appear that, when everything shall have 
been accomplished pertaining or relating to the sacrifice 
and atonement of the Son of God, in the time of 
the restitution of all things the sons of Levi will offer 
up an acceptable offering unto the Lord; what this 
offering will be does not distinctly appear. There are 
many things associated with the final salvation of man, 
and the working out and accomplishment of the pur- 
poses of God in relation to the human family, which 
lie yet in the future: the peculiar position which the 
children will occupy, also the position of the heathen 
who have died without law, and of those who have 
been translated, and who it would appear have a speci- 
fied labor to perform associated with their mission to 
the terrestrial worlds; the letting loose of Satan after 



120 



THE MEDIATION AND ATONEMENT. 



the thousand years, and many other things which it is 
not permitted for us at the present time to comprehend 
in full. These will all be revealed in the due time of 
the Lord. The Prophet Joseph makes the following state- 
ment with regard to the offerings above referred to: 

"Thus we behold the keys of this Priesthood con- 
sisted in obtaining the voice of Jehovah, that He talked 
with him [Noah] in a familiar and friendly manner, 
that He continued to him the keys, the covenants, the 
power and the glory with which He blessed Adam at the 
beginning; and the offering of sacrifice, which also shall 
be continued at the last time; for all the ordinances and 
duties that ever have been required by the Priesthood, 
under the directions and commandments of the Almighty, 
in any of the dispensations, shall all be had in the 
last dispensation; therefore all things had under the 
authority of the Priesthood at any former period, shall 
be had again, bringing to pass the restoration spoken 
of by the mouth of all the holy Prophets; then shall 
the sons of Levi offer an acceptable sacrifice to the 
Lord. See Malachi, iii, 3: *And he shall sit as a 
refiner and purifier of silver, and he shall purify the 
sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that 
they may offer unto the Lord.' It will be necessary 
here to make a few observations on the doctrine set 
forth in the above quotation, as it is generally supposed 
that sacrifice was entirely done away when the Great 
Sacrifice was offered up, and that there will be no nec- 
essity for the ordinance of sacrifice in future; but those 
who assert this are certainly not acquainted with the 
duties, privileges, and authority of the Priesthood, or 
with the Prophets. The offering of sacrifice has ever 
been connected with and forms a part of the duties of 
the Priesthood. It began with the Priesthood, and will be 
continued until after the coming of Christ, from genera- 
tion to generation. We frequently have mention made 
of the offering of sacrifice by the servants of the Most 
High in ancient days, prior to the law of Moses; which 
ordinances will be continued when the Priesthood is 



THE MEDIATION AND ATONEMENT. 



121 



restored with all its authority, power and blessings. 
Elijah was the last Prophet that held the keys of this 
Priesthood, and who will, before the last dispensation, 
restore the authority and deliver the keys of this Priest- 
hood, in order that all the ordinances may be attended 
to in righteousness. It is true that the Savior had 
authority and power to bestow this blessing, but the 
sons of Levi were too prejudiced. 'And I will send 
Elijah the Prophet before the great and terrible day of 
the Lord,' etc., etc. Why send Elijah? Because he holds 
the keys of the authority to administer in all the ordi- 
nances of the Priesthood, and without the authority is 
given, the ordinances could not be administered in righ- 
teousness. It is a very prevalent opinion that the sacri- 
fices which were offered were entirely consumed. This 
was not the case; if you read Leviticus, second chapter, 
second and third verses, you will observe that the priest 
took a part as a memorial and offered it up before the 
Lord, while the remainder was kept for the maintenance 
of the priests, so that the offerings and* sacrifices are not 
all consumed upon the altar, but the blood is sprinkled, 
and the fat and certain other portions are consumed. 
These sacrifices, as well as every ordinance belonging 
to the Priesthood, will, when the Temple of the Lord 
shall be built, and the sons of Levi be purified, be 
fully restored and attended to in all their powers, 
ramifications and blessings. This ever did and will 
exist when the powers of the Melchizedek Priesthood 
are sufficiently manifest, else how can the restitution of 
all things spoken of by all the holy Prophets be brought 
to pass? It is not to be understood that the law of 
Moses will be established again with all its rites and 
variety of ceremonies. This has never been spoken of 
by the Prophets, but those things which existed prior 
to Moses' day, namely, sacrifice, will be continued. It 
may be asked by some, What necessity for sacrifice, 
since the Great Sacrifice was offered? In answer to 
which, If repentance, baptism and faith existed prior to 
the days of Christ, what necessity for them since that 



122 THE MEDIATION AND ATONEMENT. 

time? The Priesthood has descended in a regular line 
from father to son, through their succeeding generations. 
See Book of Doctrine and Covenants." — History of Joseph 
Smith, Deseret News, Vol. IV., No. 30. 

The remarks of President Joseph Smith are very 
plain and explicit, and are a strong confirmation of the 
passage he himself refers to, pertaining to the times of 
the restitution of all things; which will embrace all 
systems, doctrines, ordinances, dispensations, and Priest- 
hoods connected with the Church and Kingdom of God. 
That there will be a full manifestation of all these 
things, relating to the various times and dispensations, 
is assured; yet, as Joseph Smith has very properly said, 
the details of those rituals and observances cannot now 
be fully defined. But as ancient Israel preserved in the 
Ark of the Covenant memorials of God's power, good- 
ness and mercy, manifested during the exodus from 
Egypt, in the two tables of stone and the pot of 
manna; and of the recognition of the Aaronic Priest- 
hood in Aaron's rod that budded; and as the sword of 
Laban, the sacred plates already revealed, as well as 
numerous others yet to be made manifest, and a Urim 
and Thummim were preserved on this continent; so will 
there be an exhibition an evidence, a memorial, and 
an actual manifestation of matters pertaining to laws, 
ordinances, ceremonies and dispensations, from the com- 
mencement of the world to the present time, preserved 
and manifested in the dispensation that the Lord in 
His loving kindness has now inaugurated. This will be 
in accordance with the eternal plans and purposes of 
God, and with the rights, ceremonies and ordinances 
belonging to the Priesthoods of God in the different 
ages, pertaining to the organization of this world, the 
proposed mediation and atonement of the Son of God, 
the manifestations and developments of the Melchizedek 
Priesthood, as the Prophet Joseph has referred to, as 
well relating to sacrifices in early days as in other 
matters, the introduction of the Aaronic Priesthood, 
together with the Ark and the Tabernacle, which we 



THE MEDIATION AND ATONEMENT. 



123 



are told were made after the patterns shown unto Moses 
in the mount — patterns which existed in the heavens; 
the eternal existence, authority and power of both 
Priesthoods as connected with God and administering in 
time and eternity; the attempts of Satan to overthrow 
the dynasty, power and authority of Jehovah and his 
complete failure and discomfiture; exhibiting in a pan- 
orama all the leading, prominent details of the creation, 
atonement, redemption, salvation and exaltation of the 
world and man, the organization of a new heaven 
and a new earth, and all the purposes of God, 
His plans and ordinances, manifested through the Priest- 
hood from the first inception of the organization of the 
world to the final consummation, purification and exal- 
tation of the world and its inhabitants, according to 
the foreknowledge and determinate counsel of the Al- 
mighty. 

For as these memorials of the atonement were 
used by the ancient Patriarchs and Prophets to manifest 
to God their faith in the plan of redemption and in 
the coming Redeemer ; so will these great types be again 
introduced as exhibiting the sacrifice of the great anti- 
type, Jesus, the Mediator of the New Covenant, and as 
a perpetual recognition of the eternal salvation and 
exaltation wrought out by Him for the human family 
by the sacrifice of Himself. (See also 3 Nephi, xv, 4 — 8, 
previously quoted.) 



124 



THE MEDIATION AND ATONEMENT. 



CHAPTER XVI. 



Brief Retrospect of the History of Sacrifice and its Symbolism— The 
Passover and the Lord's Supper— Christ's Relation to both these 
Ordinances — The Last Supper. 

As before stated, these sacrifices, which were offered up 
from the days of Adam until the time of our Savior's 
advent, were typical of the great expiatory sacrifice which 
He was to make by the sacrifice of Himself. They were 
so many types, shadows and forms of which He was the 
great prototype — the substance, the reality prefigured and 
foreshadowed by the other sacrifices which had been offered 
up from the beginning. 

When the law was given by Moses, all the forms 
pertaining to the sacrificial ceremonies were revealed in 
detail, and the instructions in relation thereto were not 
simply of a general nature, but they entered into minute 
particulars in relation to all things connected with those 
who officiated, the form and pattern of the sacred uten- 
sils and of the vestments of the Priesthood, the creatures 
to be sacrificed, the order of the proceedings, and indeed 
of all matters associated with the observance of these 
rites. Almost the whole of the book of Leviticus, and 
considerable of the book of Numbers, is occupied with 
these instructions and kindred matters. This Mosaic law, 
with all its duties, observances, ceremonies and sacrifices, 
continued in force until Christ's death. 

The time having come when the great atonement 
should be made by the offering up of Himself, Christ 
told Peter and John to go and prepare a place where 
He might, according to His custom, eat the Passover with 
His disciples. Eat what with His disciples? The Pass- 
over. Was it the Passover, or the Sacrament of the 
Lord's Supper? The Lord, in Egypt, passed by, or passed 
over the houses of the Israelites whose door posts had 



THE MEDIATION AND ATONEMENT. 



125 



been sprinkled with the blood of the lamb sacrificed for 
that purpose; and the Israelites were commanded to ob- 
serve this Passover in all their generations. Jesus, in 
compliance with this command, directed that a place be 
made ready where He might eat the Passover with His 
Apostles; for He, the great prototype, was going to offer 
up Himself as a lamb without spot or blemish; not 
only for the Israelites, but for all nations, for every 
people, and kindred, and tongue under the face of the 
whole heavens: "For God so loved the world, that he 
gave his only begotten Son. that whosoever believeth in 
him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For 
God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the 
world; but that the world through him might be saved." 

But previous to the offering up of Himself, as the 
great expiatory sacrifice, having fulfilled the law and 
made it honorable, and having introduced the Gospel, He 
met with His disciples, as already noticed, to eat the 
Passover. He then told them, "With desire I have 
desired to eat this passover with you before I suffer.'"' 
To eat what with you? The Passover. To eat what 
with you? The Sacrament of the Lord's Supper. 
Thus He eat both, for the two ceremonies centered 
in Him, He was the embodiment of both, He was 
the Being provided before the foundation of the earth, 
and prophecied of by men of God throughout all 
the preceding ages; and also on account of whom 
the sacrifices were offered up by all the servants of the 
Lord, from the fall of Adam to that time; and all the 
various atonements heretofore offered pointed to Him r for 
whom they were all made and in whom they all centered. 
On the other hand, He it was who introduced the more 
perfect law, and offering Himself once for all, an 
infinite atonement, He. through this sacrifice, accomplished 
that which was designed by the Almighty before the 
world was, and of which the blood of bullocks, of 
goats and of lambs was merely the shadow. 

In view of what was almost immediately to take 
place, He instituted the sacrament of the Lord's Supper 



126 THE MEDIATION AND ATONEMENT. 

in commemoration of this great crowning act of redemp- 
tion. When at the table, "He took bread, and gave 
thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, This 
is my body which is given for you: this do in remem- 
brance of me;' 5 afterwards, "He took the cup, and gave 
thanks, and gave it to them saying, Drink ye all of it; 
for this is my blood of the new testament which is 
shed for many for the remission of sins." 

In reality, this act of the atonement was the fulfil- 
ment of the sacrifices, of the prophecying, of the Pass- 
over, and of all the leading, prominent acts of the 
Patriarchs and Prophets relating thereto; and having per- 
formed this, the past and the future both centered in 
Him. Did these worthies offer sacrifices? They prefigured 
His appearing and atonement. Did they prophecy? It 
was of Him, for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of 
prophecy. Did they keep the Passover? He Himself 
was the great expiatory offering. Were the people called 
upon afterwards to commemorate this event? They did 
it in remembrance of Him, as a great memorial among 
all of His disciples in all nations, throughout all time; 
of the sacrifice of His broken body and spilt blood; the 
antitype of the sacrificial lamb slain at the time . of the 
Passover; of Him; as being the Mediator, the Messiah, 
the Christ, the Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and 
the End: the Son of the living God. 

As from the commencement of the world to the 
time when the Passover was instituted, sacrifices had 
been offered as a memorial or type of the sacrifice of 
the Son of God; so from the time of the Passover until 
that time when He came to offer up Himself, these 
sacrifices and types and shadows had been carefully 
observed by Prophets and Patriarchs; according to the 
command given to Moses and other followers of the 
Lord. So also did He Himself fulfil this requirement, 
and kept the Passover as did others; and now we, after 
the great sacrifice has been offered, partake of the 
Sacrament of the Lord's Supper in remembrance thereof. 
Thus this act was the great connecting link between the 



THE MEDIATION AND ATONEMENT. 



127 



past and the future; thus He fulfilled the law, met the 
demands of justice, and obeyed the requirements of His 
Heavenly Father, although laboring under the weight 
of the sins of the world, and the terrible expiation 
which He had to make, when, sweating great drops of 
blood, He cried: "Father, if it be possible let this cup 
pass from me; nevertheless not my will but thine be 
done;" and when expiring in agony upon the cross He 
cried, "It is finished," and gave up the ghost. 

During this ever memorable supper, the Savior said 
unto His disciples, "But . I say unto you, I will not drink 
henceforth of the fruit of the vine, until that day when 
I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom." He 
was the Lamb proposed to be slain from before the foun- 
dation of the world ; He was the Lamb spoken of by 
the Prophets in the different ages, and for which sacri- 
fices were made; in Him was now fulfilled everything 
that prefigured His approach, and that was prophesied of 
Him pertaining to the atonement. He also was to burst 
the barriers of the tomb, become the first fruits of those 
that slept, and introduce the resurrection, and indeed to 
be the Resurrection and the Life. He was also to ascend 
to the heavens, resurrect His Saints, and after resurrect- 
ing them, drink of the fruit of the vine with them in 
His Father's kingdom. Every knee should yet bow to 
Him, and every tongue confess that He was the Christ 
to the glory of God the Father. Every nation, kindred, 
and tongue should bow to His sceptre, and the earth 
through Him be filled with the knowledge of God, as 
the waters cover the sea, the earth be redeemed and be- 
come celestial, a new heaven and a new earth be insti- 
tuted, wherein dwelleth righteousness, and the redemption 
and resurrection of the living and the dead, according 
to the eternal plan of Jehovah, should be brought about 
through His mediation and atonement. 



\ 



128 



THE MEDIATION AND ATONEMENT. 



CHAPTER XVII. 

The Atonement and the Resurrection — Adam and Christ — Why a Law- 
was given unto Adam — The Results of Disobedience to that Law — 
Testimony of our First Parents — "Adam fell that Man might be" — 
The Fall a Necessary Part of the Plan of Salvation — God's 
Plan a Merciful Plan — The Plan of Lucifer— Man's Free Agency — 
The Chain Complete. 

In the economy of God and the plan proposed by 
the Almighty, it was provided that man was to be placed 
under a law apparently simple in itself, yet the test of 
that law was fraught with the gravest consequences. The 
observance of that law would secure eternal life, and the 
penalty for the violation of that law was death. For, 
we are told, in Adam all die, and hence the declaration, 
; *Tt is appointed for man once to die." There is another 
principle associated with this, which is, that the atone- 
ment provided a means and plan whereby death could 
be overcome, and the resurrection of the body from 
death be brought about, for it is written, "As in Adam 
all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive." But 
without this atonement the resurrection of the body could 
not be brought about; hence Jesus, when on earth, pro- 
claimed, "I am the Resurrection and the Life," and He 
Himself "'was the first fruits of them that slept." 

Men could not have been tested without a law. The 
penalty for the violation of that law was death. If the 
law had not been broken, man would have lived; but 
would man thus living have been capable of perpetuating 
his species, and of thus fulfilling the ^designs of God in 
preparing tabernacles for the spirits which had been cre- 
ated in the spirit world ? And further, could they have 
had the need of a mediator, who was to act as a propitia- 
tion for the violation of this law, which it would appear 
from the circumstances was destined to be broken; or 



THE MEDIATION AND ATONEMENT. 



129 



could the eternal increase and perpetuity of man have 
been continued, and his .high exaltation to the Godhead 
been accomplished, without the propitiatory atonement and 
sacrifice of the Son of God? 

Jesus said, "Thus it is written, and thus it behooved 
Christ to suffer/' Could it have behooved Christ to suf- 
fer if man had not sinned, and was it not part of the 
eternal plan of God that man should violate that law, 
that an atonement might be provided and had, and by 
this means man be purified and perfected, through the 
struggles and trials incident to his coming in contact with 
the powers of ' darkness, and, through the mediation and 
atonement of Jesus Christ, and his own obedience to the 
requirements of the law associated therewith, be raised to a 
higher state of existence than it would have been possible 
for him to have obtained without the transgression of 
that law? 

These points are made exceedingly plain in the Pearl 
of Great Price. It is there stated: 

4 'And Adam called upon the name of the Lord, 
and Eve also, his wife; and they heard the voice of 
the Lord from the way towards the garden of Eden, 
speaking unto them, and they saw him not; for they 
were shut out from his presence. And he gave unto 
them commandments, that they should worship the Lord 
their God, and should offer the firstlings of their flocks, 
for an offering unto the Lord. And Adam was obedient 
unto the commandments of the Lord. And after many 
days an angel of the Lord appeared unto Adam, saying, 
Why dost thou offer sacrifices unto the Lord? And 
Adam said unto him, 1 know not, save the Lord com- 
manded me. And then the angel spake, saying, This 
thing is a similitude of the sacrifice of the Only 
Begotten of the Father, which is full of grace and 
truth. Wherefore, thou shalt do all that thou doest in 
the name of the Son, and thou shalt repent and call 
upon God in the name of the Son for evermore. And in 
that day the Holy Ghost fell upon Adam, which beareth 
record of the Father and the Son, saying, I am the Only 

9 



130 



THE MEDIATION AND ATONEMENT. 



Begotten of the Father from the beginning, henceforth and 
for ever, that as thou hast fallen thou may est be redeemed ; 
and all mankind, even as many as will. And in that 
day Adam blessed God and was filled, and began to 
prophesy concerning all the families of the earth, saying, 
Blessed be the name of God, for because of my trans- 
gression my eyes are opened, and in this life I shall 
have joy, and again in the flesh I shall see God. And 
Eve, his wife, heard all these things and was glad, 
saying, "Were it not for our transgression we never should 
have had seed, and never should have known good and 
evil, and the joy of our redemption, and the eternal life 
which God giveth unto all the obedient. And Adam 
and Eve blessed the name of God ; and they made all 
things known unto their sons and their daughters." 

Thus we find: Firstly. That Adam and Eve both con- 
sidered that they had gained, instead of suffered loss, 
through their disobedience to that law; for they made the 
statement, that if it had not been for their transgression 
they never would "have known good and evil." And again, 
they would have been incapable of increase ; and with- 
out that increase the designs of God in relation to the 
formation of the earth and man could . not have been 
accomplished; for one great object of the creation of the 
world was the propagation of the human species, that 
bodies might be prepared for those spirits who already 
existed, a ad who, when they saw the earth formed, 
shouted for joy. 

Secondly. By pursuing the course they did, through 
the atonement, they would see Go'd as they had done 
before ; and furthermore, they would be capable of 
exaltation, which was made possible only through 
their fall, and the atonement of Jesus Christ; and 
also, they might have the comforting influence of 
the Spirit of God, and His guidance and direction 
here, as well as eternal lives and exaltations in the 
world to come. 

Paul, in his Epistle to the Romans, also writes very 
directly upon these truths; he says: 



THE MEDIATION AND ATONEMENT. 



131 



"Nevertheless, death reigned from Adam to Moses, 
even over them that had not sinned after the similitude 
of Adam's transgression, who 'is the figure of him that 
was to come. But not as the offence, so also is the free 
gift. For if, through the offence of one many be dead, 
much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, 
which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded 
unto many. And not as it was by one that sinned, so' 
is the gift; for the judgment was by one to condemna- 
tion, but the free gift is of many offences unto justifica- 
tion. For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; 
much more they which receive abundance of grace and 
of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one 
Jesus Christ. Therefore, as by the offence of one judg- 
ment came upon all men to condemnation: even so by 
the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men 
unto justification of life. For as by one man's disobe- 
dience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of 
one shall many be made righteous. Moreover, the law 
entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin 
abounded, grace did much more abound: that as sin 
hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through 
righteousness unto eternal life, by Jesus Christ our Lord." 
— Romans, v., 14 — 21. 

Whilst in the Book of Mormon Lehi teaches: 
■•'And now, behold, if Adam had not transgressed, he 
would not have fallen; but he would have remained in 
the garden of Eden. And all things which were created, 
must have remained in the same state which they were, 
after they were created; and they must have remained 
for ever, and had no end. And they would have had 
no children; wherefore, they would have remained in a 
state of innocence, having no joy. for they knew no 
misery ; doing no good,, for they knew no sin. But be- 
hold, all things have been done in the wisdom of Him 
who knoweth all things. Adam fell that men might be; 
and men are, that they might have joy. And the Messiah 
cometh in the fulness of time, that he may redeem the 
children of men from the fall. And because that they 



132 



THE MEDIATION AND ATONEMENT. 



are redeemed from the fall, they have become free for 
ever, knowing good from evil; to act for themselves, and 
not to be acted upon, save it be by the punishment of 
the law at the great and last day, according to the com- 
mandments which God hath given. Wherefore, men are 
free according to the flesh; and all things are given 
them which are expedient unto man. And they are free 
to choose liberty and eternal life, through the great me- 
diation of all men, or to choose captivity and death, 
according to the captivity and power of the devil; for 
he seeketh that all men might be miserable, like unto 
himself."— 2 Nephi, ii, 22—27. 

In the same book it is written: 

"Yea, I know that ye know, that in the body he 
shall show himself unto those at Jerusalem, from whence 
we came; for it is expedient that it should be among 
them; for it behooveth the great Creator that he suffereth 
himself to become subject unto man in the flesh, and die 
for all men, that all men might become subject unto 
him. For as death hath passed upon all men, to fulfil 
the merciful plan of the great Creator, there must needs 
be a power of resurrection, and the resurrection must 
needs come unto man by reason of the fall; and the 
fall came by reason of transgression; and because man 
became fallen, they were cut off from the presence of 
the Lord. Wherefore it must needs be an infinite 
atonement. Save it should be an infinite atonement, this 
corruption could not put on incorruption. Wherefore, 
the first judgment which came upon man must needs have 
remained to an endless duration. And if so, this flesh 
must have laid down to rot and to crumble to its 
mother earth, to rise no more. 0 the wisdom of God! 
his mercy and grace! For behold, if the flesh should 
rise no more, our spirits must become subject to that 
angel who fell from before the presence of the eternal' 
God, and became the devil, to rise no more." — 2 Nephi, 
ix, 5 — 8. 

There is a principle developed in the above quotation 
to the effect that death was "passed upon all men to 



THE MEDIATION AND ATONEMENT. 



133 



fulfil the merciful plan of the great Creator;" and further- 
more, that the resurrection came "by reason of the fall." 
For if man had not sinned, there would have been no 
death, and if Jesus had not atoned for the sin, there 
would have been no lesurrection Hence these things 
are spoken of as being according to the merciful plan 
of God. This corruption couid not have put on in- 
corruption, and this mortality could not have put on 
immortality; for, as we have elsewhere shown, man by 
reason of any thing that he himself could do or accom- 
plish, could only exalt himself to the dignity and 
capability of man. and therefore it needed the atone- 
ment of a God, before man, through the adoption, 
could be exalted to the Godhead. 

Again, if the body could not have been res- 
urrected, it wouid have had to "'crumble to its mother 
earth," and remain in that condition without the capa- 
bility of ascending to the Godhead: and furthermore, 
not only would our bodies have lost their entity, their 
life and power, but the spirit also would have been 
placed in a state of subjection "to that angel who fell 
from before the presence of the eternal God, and became 
the devil," without a capability or even hope of life, 
salvation and exaltation, and would have been deprived 
of all free agency and power, and subject to the influences, 
dominion and eternal destruction of Lucifer, the enemy 
of man and of God. Hence, on this ground, and because 
of the terrible effects which would have resulted to 
humanity from the proposed plan to deprive man of 
his free agency, and in seeking to do away with the 
atonement, Lucifer was cast out of heaven, as were also 
those associated with him in the same diabolical plans 
and purposes. 

The testimony of the Book of Doctrine and Cove- 
nants is in full accord with the revelations in the ancient 
scriptures. In it we are instructed that God "created 
man, male and female, after his own image and in his 
own likeness created he them, and gave unto them com- 
mandments that they should love and serve him, the 



134 



THE MEDIATION AND ATONEMENT. 



only living and true God ; and that he should be the 
only being whom they should worship. But by the 
transgression of these holy laws, man became sensual and 
deA'ilish, and became fallen man. Wherefore the Almighty 
God gave his Only Begotten Son, as it is written in 
those scriptures which have been given of him. He suf- 
fered temptations, but gave no heed unto them; he was 
crucified, died, and rose again the third day; and ascen- 
ded into heaven, to sit down on the right hand of the 
Father, to reign with almighty power according to the 
will of the Father." — Doc. and Cov., sec. xx, 18 — 24, 
p. 123. 

Again, we read from the same source: 

"Behold, I gave unto him that he should be an agent 
unto himself; and I gave unto him commandment, but 
no temporal commandment gave I unto him, for my 
commandments are spiritual, they are not natural nor 
temporal, neither carnal nor sensual.''' — Doc. and Cov., 
sec. xxix, 35, p. 146. 

"Wherefore, it came to pass that the devil tempted 
Adam, and he partook the forbidden fruit and trans- 
gressed the commandment, wherein he became subject to 
the will of the devil, because he yielded unto tempta- 
tion. Whe^fore, I the. Lord God caused that he should 
be cast out from the garden of Eden, from my pres- 
ence, because of his transgression, wherein he became 
spiritually dead,' which is the first death, even that same 
death, which is the last death, which is spiritual, which 
shall be pronounced upon the wicked when I shall 
say, Depart, ye cursed. But, behold, I say unto you, 
that I the Lord God gave unto Adam and to his seed 
that they should not die as to the temporal death, until 
I the Lord God should send forth angels to declare 
unto them repentance and redemption, through faith on 
the name of mine Only Begotten Son. And thus 
did I, the Lord God, appoint unto man the days of his 
probation; that by his natural death he might be raised 
in immortality unto eternal life, even as many as would 
believe." — Doc. and Gov., xxix, 40 — 43, p. 147. 



THE MEDIATION AND ATONEMENT. 



135 



In accordance with this we find it written in the 
Pearl of Great Price, that the Lord did send an angel 
to Adam (as elsewhere quoted), who taught unto him 
the Gospel. * 

Thus it would appear that if any of the links of this 
great chain had been broken, it would have interfered 
with the comprehensive plan of the Almighty pertaining 
to the salvation and eternal exaltation of those spirits 
who were His sons, and for whom principally the world 
was made; that they, through submission to the require- 
ments of the eternal principle and law governing these 
matters might possess bodies, and these bodies united 
with the spirits might become living souls, and being 
the sons of God. and made in the image of God, they, 
through the atonement might be exalted, by obedience 
to the law of- the Gospel; to the Godhead. 



CHAPTER XVIII. 

Christ as the Son of God— A Comparison between His Position Glory, 
etc.. and Those o! other Sons of God— His Recognition by the 
Father— Christ called the Very Eternal Father. 

It may here be asked, What difference is there 
between the Son of God. as the Son of God, the Re- 
deemer, and those who believe in Him and partake of 
the blessings of the Gospel? 

One thing, as we read, is that the Father gave 
Him power to have life in Himself: "For as the Father 
hath life in himself, so hath he given to the Son to 
have life in himself;" and further, He had power, 
when all mankind had lost their life, to restore life 



136 



THE MEDIATION AND ATONEMENT. 



to them again; and hence He is the Resurrection and 
the Life, which power no other man possesses. 

Another distinction is, that having this life in Him- 
self, He had power, as He said, to lay down His life 
and to take it up again, which power was also given 
Him by the Father. This is also a power which no 
other being associated with this earth possesses. 

Again, He is the brightness of His Father's glory 
and the express image of His person. Also, He doeth 
what He seeth the Father do, while we only do that 
which we are permitted and empowered to do by Him. 

He is the Elect, the Chosen, and one of the Presi- 
dency in the heavens, and in Him dwells all the ful- 
ness of the Godhead bodily, which could not be said of 
us in any of these particulars. 

Another thing is, that all power is given to Him 
in heaven and upon earth, which no earthly being could 
say. 

It is also stated that Lucifer was before Adam; so 
was Jesus. And Adam, as well as all other believers, 
was commanded to do all that he did in the name of 
the Son, and to call upon God in His name for ever 
more; which honor was not applicable to any earthly 
being. 

He, in the nearness of His relationship to the 
Father, seems to occupy a position that no other person 
occupies. He is spoken of as His well beloved Son, as 
the Only Begotten of the Father — does not this mean 
the only begotten after the flesh? If He was the first 
born and obedient to the laws of His Father, did He 
not inherit the position by right to be the representa- 
tive of God, the Savior and Redeemer of the world? 
And was it not His peculiar right and privilege as the 
firstborn, the legitimate heir of God, the Eternal Father, 
to step forth, accomplish and carry out the designs of 
His Heavenly Father pertaining to the redemption, salva- 
tion and exaltation of man? And being Himself with- 
out sin (which no other mortal was), He took the posi- 
tion of Savior and Redeemer, which by right belonged 



THE MEDIATION AND ATONEMENT. 137 

to Him as the first born. And does it not seem that 
in having a body specially prepared, and being the off. 
spring of God, both in body and spirit, He stood pre- 
eminently in the position of the Son of God, or in the 
place of God, and was God, and was thus the fit and 
only personage capable of making an infinite atonement? 
Hence we read: 

"Wherefore, when he cometh into the world, he 
saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldst not, but a 
body hast thou prepared me: in burnt offerings and 
sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure. Then said 
I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written 
of me) to do thy will, O God. Above, when he said? 
Sacrifice and offering and burnt-offerings and offering 
for sin thou wouldst not neither hadst pleasure therein; 
which are offered by the law; then said he, Lo, I come 
to do thy will, O God He taketh away the first, that 
he may establish the second." — Heb., x, 5 — 9. 

We are told, in the Pearl of Great Price, that 
when Satan proposed a plan of his own, promising to 
redeem every soul of man, but wherein the free agency 
of man would be destroyed, and said, "Wherefore give 
me thine honor," the Only Begotten said, " Father, thy 
will be done, and the glory be thine for ever " "I 
am prepared to carry out thy plan." The Apostle above 
quoted states, "A body hast thou prepared me. * * 
Then said I, Lo, I come to do thy will, 0 Lord." 
Hence from the above we learn that though others 
might be the sons of God through Him, yet, it needed 
His body, His fulfilment of the law, the sacrifice or 
offering up of that body in the atonement, before any 
of these others, who were also sons of God by birth in 
the spirit world, could attain to the position of sons of 
God as He was; and that only through His mediation 
and atonement. So that in Him, and of Him, and 
through Him, through the principle of adoption, could 
we alone obtain that position which is spoken of by 
John: "Beloved, now are we the sons of God; and it 
doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know 



138 THE MEDIATION AND ATONEMENT. 

that when he shall appear we shall be like him, for 
we shall see him as he is." Thus His atonement made 
it possible for us to obtain an exaltation, which we 
could not have possessed without it. 

4 'His name shall be called Immanuel," which being 
interpreted is, God with us. Hence He is not only 
called the Son of God, the First Begotten of the 
Father, the Well Beloved, the Head, and Ruler, and 
Dictator of all things, Jehovah, the I Am, the Alpha 
and Omega, but He is also called the Very Eternal 
Father. Does not this mean that in Him were the 
attributes and power of the Very Eternal Father? For 
the angel to Adam said that all things should be done 
in His name. A voice was heard from the heavens, when 
Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist, saying, "This 
is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased," and 
when the Father and the Son appeared together to 
the Prophet Joseph Smith they were exactly alike in 
form, in appearance, in glory; and the Father said, point- 
ing to His Son, "This is my beloved Son; hear Him." 
There the Father had His apparent tabernacle, and the 
Son had His apparent tabernacle; but the Son was the 
agency through which the Father would communicate to 
man; as it is elsewhere said, "Wherefore, thou shalt do 
all that thou doest in the name of the Son. And thou 
shalt repent, and shalt call upon God, in the name of 
the Son, for evermore." 



THE MEDIATION AND ATONEMENT. 



139 



CHAPTER XIX. 

Man as Man— His Excellency and His Limitations— Salvation and Eter- 
nal Progression Impossible without the Atonement— In Christ only 
can All be made Alive. 

Man, as man, can only make use of the powers 
which are possessed by man. Made, indeed, as repre- 
sented in the Scriptures, in the image of God, as mon- 
arch of the universe he stands erect on the earth in 
the likeness of his Great Creator; beautifully constructed 
in all his parts, with a body possessing all the func- 
tions necessary for the wants of humanity; standing, not 
only by right, but by adaptability, beauty, symmetry and 
glory, at the head of all creation; possessing also mental 
powers and the capacity of reflecting upon the past, with 
capabilities to reason upon cause and effect, and by 
the inductive powers of his mind, through the inspira- 
tion of the Almighty, to comprehend the magnificent 
laws of nature as exhibited in the works of creation; 
with the capacity also of using the elements and forces 
of nature, and of adapting them to his own special 
benefit; and by his powers penetrating into the deep, 
ascending into the heavens, rushing with mighty velocity 
across the earth, making use or 1 the separate or com- 
bined forces of nature with which he is surrounded 
and subjugating them to his will; as, likewise, by his 
intelligence, he has dominion over the fishes of the sea, 
over the fowls of the air, and over the cattle. He can 
girdle the earth with the electric fluid and convey his 
thoughts to any land or zone; by the same subtle influ- 
ence he can talk with his fellows, and be heard when 
hundreds of miles apart. He can apply the forces of 
earth, air, fire and water to make them subservient to 
his will, and stands proudly erect as the head of all 
creation and the representative of God upon the earth. 



140 



THE MEDIATION AND ATONEMENT. 



But while he occupies this exalted position, and is in 
the image of God, yet he possesses simply, as a man, 
only the powers which belong to man; and is subject 
to weakness, infirmity, disease and death. And when 
he dies, without some superior aid pertaining to the 
future, that noble structure lies silent and helpless, its 
organs, that heretofore were active, lively and energetic; 
are now dormant, inactive and powerless. And what of 
the mind, that before went back into eternity and 
reached forward into eternity? And what of its powers? 
Or what of that spirit, which, with its Godlike energies, 
its prescience and power, could grasp infinity? What of 
it, and where is it? The Scriptures say that the body 
returns to the dust and the spirit returns to God who 
gave it. But what of its powers as made known to us, 
what of the hereafter? The philosophy of the world 
tells us that the spirit dies with the body, and like .it 
is dissipated in surrounding nature, but as an entirety 
no longer exists; and all the power the being ever had 
was to propagate its own species and to impart the 
powers of the body and the mind to its posterity. Such 
philosophers can comprehend nothing pertaining to the 
future — no glory, no exaltation, no eternal progression, 
only as developed by a succession of manhood. If, then, 
there is a spirit in man which reaches into futurity, 
that would grasp eternal progress, eternal enjoyments, 
and eternal exaltations; then those glories, those exalta- 
tions, those capabilities and those powers must be the 
gift of some superior being, power, or authority to that 
which exists in man; for the foregoing is a brief exhi- 
bition of the powers and capabilities of humanity. It 
is of this gift that we now speak. It is of a principle 
that emanates from God, that originates with a superior 
intelligence, whose plans, and powers, and capabilities 
are exalted above those of mortal man, as the heavens 
are above the earth, or as the majestic works of the 
Great Creator throughout the infinitude of space are 
superior to the puny efforts of the children of mor- 
tality. It is for the exaltation of man to this state 



THE MEDIATION AND ATONEMENT. 141 

of superior intelligence and Godhead that the media- 
tion and atonement of Jesus Christ is instituted; and 
that noble being, man, made in the image of God, is 
rendered capable not only of being a son of man, 
but also a son of God, through adoption, and is ren- 
dered capable of becoming a God, possessing the power, 
the majesty, the exaltation and the position of a God. 
As it is written, "Beloved, now are we the sons of God; 
and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we 
know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; 
for we shall see him as he is-." 

As a man through the powers of his body he could 
attain to the dignity and completeness of manhood, but 
could go no further; as a man he is born, as a man 
he lives, and as a man he dies; but through the essence 
and power of the Godhead, which is in him, which 
descended to him as the gift of God from his heav- 
enly Father, he is capable of rising from the contracted 
limits of manhood to the dignity of a God, and thus 
through the atonement of Jesus Christ and the adoption 
he is capable of eternal exaltation, eternal lives and 
eternal progression. But this transition from his man- 
hood to the Godhead can alone be made through a 
power which is superior to man — an infinite power, an 
eternal power, even the power of the Godhead: for as 
in Adam all die, so in Christ only can all be made 
alive. Through Him mankind are brought into com- 
munion and communication with God; through His 
atonement they are enabled, as He was, to vanquish 
death; through that atonement and the power of the 
Priesthood associated therewith, they become heirs of God 
and joint heirs with Jesus Christ, and inheritors of 
thrones, powers, principalities and dominions in the eter- 
nal worlds. And instead of being subject to death, 
when that last enemy shall be destroyed, and death be 
swallowed up in victory, through that atonement they 
can become the fathers and mothers of lives, and be 
capable of perpetual and eternal progression. 



142 



THE MEDIATION AND ATONEMENT. 



CHAPTER XX. 

Christ to be Subject to Man — His Descent Below all Things — Man's 
Condition had there been no Atonement— The Sons of God — Man's 
Inability to Save Himself— Christ's Glory before the World Was — 
Necessity for an Infinite Atonement — The Father and Son have 
Life in Themselves. 

Again we will return to the quotation from the 
Book of Mormon.* Satan, as we have remarked before, 
wanted to deprive man of his agency, for if man had 
his agency, it would seem that necessarily the Lord 
would be subject to him; as is stated, " For it behoov- 
eth the Great Creator that he suffereth himself to 
become subject unto man in the flesh, and die for all 
men, that all men might become subject unto him." 

The Lord being thus subjected to man. He would 
be placed in the lowest position to which it was possi- 
ble for Him to descend; because of the weakness, the 
corruption and the fallibility of human nature. But if 
man had his free agency, this necessarily would be the 
result, and hence, as it is said, Jesus descended below 
all things that He might be raised above all things; 
and hence also, while Satan's calculation was to deprive 
man of his free agency, and to prevent himself or the 
Only Begotten from being subject to this humiliation 
and infamy, the Lord's plan was to give man his free 
agency, provide a redeemer, and suffer that redeemer to 
endure all the results incidental to such a position, and 
thus, by offering himself as a substitute and conquering 
death, hell and the grave, he would ultimately subju- 
gate all things unto himself; and at the same time 
make it possible for man to obtain . an exaltation that 
he never could have had without his agency. It is 
said, as already stated, " For behold, if the flesh should 



* 2 Nephi, ix, 5 — 7. 



THE MEDIATION AND ATONEMENT. 143 

rise no more, our spirits must become subject to that 
angel who fell from before the presence of the eternal 
God, and became the devil, to rise no more;" and hence 
the plan of Satan it appears would have frustrated the 
designs of the Almighty, and have deprived man of that 
exaltation and glory which his Heavenly Father con- 
templated. It is further written: 

"And our spirits must have become like unto him, 
and we become devils, angels to a devil, to be shut 
out from the presence of our God, and to remain with 
the father of lies; in misery, like unto himself; yea, to 
that being who beguiled our first parents; who trans- 
formeth himself nigh unto an angel of light, and stir- 
reth Up the children of men unto secret combinations of 
murder, and all manner of secret works of darkness. 0 
how great the goodness of our God, who prepareth a 
way for our escape from the grasp of this awful mon- 
ster; yea, that monster, death and hell, which I call 
the death of the body, and also the death of the spirit. 
And because of the way of deliverance of our God, 
the Holy One of Israel, this death, of which I have 
spoken, which is the temporal, shall deliver up its dead; 
which death is the grave. And this death of which I 
have spoken, which is the spiritual death, shall deliver 
up its dead; which spiritual death is hell; wherefore, 
death and hell must deliver up their dead, and hell 
must deliver up its captive spirits, and the grave 
must deliver up its captive bodies, and the bodies and 
the spirits of men will be restored one to the other; 
and it is by the power of the resurrection of the Holy 
One of Israel. 0 how great the plan of our God! For 
on the other hand, the paradise of God must deliver 
up the spirits of the righteous, and the grave deliver 
up the body of the righteous; and the spirit and the 
body is' restored to itself again, and all men become 
incorruptible and immortal, and they are living souls, 
having a perfect knowledge like unto us in the flesh 
save it be that our knowledge shall be perfect; where- 
fore, we shall have a perfect knowledge of all our guilt; 



144 



THE MEDIATION AND ATONEMENT. 



and our uncleanness, and our nakedness; and the righ- 
teous shall have a perfect knowledge of their enjoyment, 
and their righteousness, being clothed with purity, yea, 
even with the robe of righteousness. And it shall come 
to pass, that when all men shall have passed from this 
first death unto life, insomuch as they have become 
immortal, they must appear before the judgment seat of 
the Holy One of Israel; and then cometh the judgment, 
and then must they be judged according to the holy 
judgment of God. And assuredly, as the Lord liveth, 
for the Lord God hath spoken it, and it is his eternal 
word, which cannot pass away, that they ' who are 
righteous, shall be righteous still, and they who are 
filthy, shall be filthy still; wherefore, they who are 
filthy, are the devil and his angels; and they shall go 
away into everlasting fire, prepared for them; and their 
torment is as a lake of fire and brimstone, whose flame 
ascendeth up for ever and ever, and has no end. 0 
the greatness and the justice of our God! For he exe- 
cute th all his words, and they have gone forth out of 
his mouth, and his law must be fulfilled." — 2 Nephi, 
ix, 9—17. 

In the economy of God pertaining to the salvation 
of the human family, we are told in the Scriptures that it 
was necessary that Christ should descend below all things, 
that He might be raised above all things; as stated 
above, He had to "become subject to man in the flesh." 
It was further necessary that He should descend below 
all things, in order that He might raise others above 
all things; for if He could not raise Himself and be 
exalted through those principles brought about by the 
atonement, He could not raise others; He could not do 
for others what He could not do for Himself, and hence 
it was necessary for Him to descend below all things that 
He might be raised above all things; and it was nec- 
essary that those whom He proposed to save should 
also descend below all things, that by and through the 
same power that He obtained His exaltation, they also, 
through His atonement, expiation and intercession, might 



THE MEDIATION AND ATONEMENT. 



145 



be raised to the same power with Him; and, as He was 
the Son of God, that they might also be the adopted 
sons of God; hence John says: 

" Beloved, now are we the sons of God; and it 
doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know 
that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for 
we shall see him as he is." — 1 John, iii, 2. 

And by this power we shall overcome and sit down 
on His throne, as Jesus overcame and sat down upon 
the throne of His Father. 

We are told in the foregoing quotation from the 
Book of Mormon that the atonement must needs be 
infinite. Why did it need an infinite atonement? For 
the simple reason that a stream can never rise higher than 
its fountain; and man having assumed a fleshly body 
and become of the earth earthy, and through the vio- 
lation of a law having cut himself off from his association 
with his Father, and become subject to death; in this 
condition, as the mortal life of man was short, and in 
and of himself he could have no hope of benefitting 
himself, or redeeming himself from his fallen condition, 
or of bringing himself back to the presence of his 
Father, some superior agency was needed to elevate him 
above his low and degraded position. This superior 
agency was the Son of God, who had not, as man had, 
violated a law of His Father, but was yet one with 
His Father, possessing His glory, His power, His author- 
ity, His dominion. As He, Himself, prayed: 

"And now, 0 Father, glorify thou me with thine 
own self, with the glory which I had with thee before 
the world was." — John, xvii, 5. 

A man, as a man, could arrive at all the dignity 
that a man was capable of obtaining or receiving; but 
it needed a God to raise him to the dignity of a God. 
For this cause it is written, " Now are we the sons of 
God; and it doth not yet • appear what we shall be: 
but we know that when he shall appear we shall be 
like him." And how and why like Him? Because, 
through the instrumentality of the atonement and the 

10 



146 THE MEDIATION AND ATONEMENT. 

adoption, it is made possible for us to become of the 
family of God, and joint heirs with Jesus Christ; and 
that as He, the potential instrument, through the one- 
ness that existed between Him and His Father, by rea- 
son of obedience to divine law, overcame death, hell 
and the grave, and sat down upon His Father's throne, 
so shall we be able to sit down with Him, even upon 
His throne. Thus, as it is taught in the Book of Mor- 
mon, it must needs be that there be an infinite atone- 
ment; and hence of Him, and by Him, and through 
Him are all things; and through Him do we obtain 
every blessing, power, right, immunity, salvation and ex- 
altation. He is our God, our Redeemer, our Savior, to 
whom, with the Father and the Holy Spirit, be eternal 
and everlasting praises worlds without end. 
Again, Jesus testifies of Himself: 

" Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is com- 
ing, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice 
of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live. For 
as the Father hath life in himself, so hath he given to 
the Son to have life in himself; and hath given him 
authority to execute judgment also, because he is the 
Son of man. Marvel not at this: for the hour is com- 
ing, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear 
his voice, and shall come forth; they that have done 
good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have 
done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation." — John, 
v, 25—29. 

It would seem from the above that the Son hath 
life inherent in Himself, even as the Father hath life 
in Himself, He having received this power from the 
Father. Also, that He had power in Himself, as else- 
where stated, to lay down this body, and also to take 
it up again; and in this respect He differed from 
others. While man dies and lays down his body, he 
has not power under any circumstance to raise it again, 
only through the power of Jesus and His intercession 
and atonement; for the Redeemer has proclaimed Him- 
self to be the Resurrection and the Life; and it is by 



THE MEDIATION AND ATONEMENT. 



147 



this resurrective power which He possesses, as the gift 
of God through obedience to the will of the Father, 
that the dead shall hear the voice of God and shall 
live. Hence He not only becomes the first fruits of 
those that slept, having conquered death Himself and 
triumphed over it, but He also becomes the means of 
the resurrection of all men from the dead. Hence He 
says: 

"Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay 
down my life, that I might take it again. No man tak- 
eth it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have 
power to lay it down, and I have power to take it 
again. This commandment have I received of my 
Father."— John, x, 17, 18. 

Thus, when He says He has power to lay down 
His life and power to take it up again, He speaks of 
a power never before exhibited among men upon this 
earth; and which power, indeed, does not belong to 
man in and of himself. 



148 



THE MEDIATION AND ATONEMENT. 



CHAPTER XXI. 

The Relation of the Atonement to Little Children — Jesus Assumes the 
Responsibility of Man's Transgression, and Bears the Weight of his 
Sins and Sufferings — The Inferior Creatures and Sacrifice — The Ter- 
rors and Agonies of Christ's Passion and Death — The Tribulations, 
Earthquakes, etc., when He gave up the Ghost — Universal Nature 
Trembles — The Prophecies of Zenos and Enoch — The Testimony of 
the Centurion — Heirship, and the Descent of Blessings and Curses. 

The Redeemer Himself, when tabernacling in the 
flesh, said to His disciples on the Eastern Continent, 
"Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them 
not: for of such is the kingdom of God. Verily I say 
unto you, Whosoever thall not receive the kingdom of 
God as a little child shall' in no wise enter therein." — 
Luke, xviii, 16, 17. And after His crucifixion and res- 
urrection He repeated this same admonition to His Ne- 
phite disciples: "And again I say unto you, Ye must 
repent, and' be baptized in my name and become as a 
little child, or ye can in no wise inherit the kingdom of 
God."— 3 Nephi, xi 38 

Without Adam's transgression those children could 
not have existed; through the atonement they are placed 
in a state of salvation without any act of their own. 
These would embrace, according to the opinion of 
statisticians, more than one-half of the human family, 
who can attribute their salvation only to the media- 
tion and atonement of the Savior. Thus, as stated else- 
where, in some mysterious, incomprehensible way, Jesus 
assumed the responsibility which naturally would have 
devolved upon Adam; but which could only be accom- 
plished through the mediation of Himself, and by tak- 
ing upon Himself their sorrows, assuming their respon- 
sibilities, and bearing their transgressions or sins. In a 
manner to us incomprehensible and inexplicable, he bore 



THE MEDIATION AND ATONEMENT. 



149 



the weight of the sins of the whole world; not only of 
Adam, but of his posterity; and in doing that, opened 
the kingdom of heaven, not only to all believers and all 
who obeyed the law of God, but to more than one-half 
of the human family who die before they come to years 
of maturity, as well as to the heathen, who, having 
died without law, will, through His mediation, be resur- 
rected without law, and be judged without law, and 
thus participate, according to their capacity, works and 
worth, in the blessings of His atonement. 

Again, there is another phase of this subject that 
must not be forgotten. From the commencement of the 
offering of sacrifices the inferior creature had to suffer 
for the superior. Although it had taken no part in the 
act of disobedience, yet was its blood shed and its life 
sacrificed, thus prefiguring the atonement of the Son of 
God, which should eventually take place. The creature 
indeed, was made subject to vanity not willingly, but by 
reason of Him who hath subjected the same in hope. 
Millions of such offerings were made, and hecatombs of 
these expiatory sacrifices were offered in view of the 
great event that would be consummated when Jesus should 
offer up Himself. With man this was simply the 
obedience to a command and a given law, and with 
him might be considered simply a pecuniary sacrifice: 
with the animals it was a sacrifice of life. But what 
is the reason for all this suffering and bloodshed, and 
sacrifice? We are told that "without shedding of blood 
is no remission" of sins. This is beyond our com- 
prehension. Jesus had to take away sin by the sacrifice 
of Himself, the just for the unjust, but, previous to this; 
grand sacrifice, these animals had to have their blood 
shed as types, until the great antitype should offer 
up Himself once for all. And as He in His own person 
bore the sins of all, and atoned for them by the 
sacrifice of Himself, so there came upon Him the weight 
and agony of ages and generations, the indescribable 
agony consequent upon this great sacrificial atonement 
wherein He bore the sins of the world, and suffered in 



150 



THE MEDIATION AND ATONEMENT. 



His own person the consequences of an eternal law of 
God broken by man. Hence His profound grief, His 
indescribable anguish, His overpowering torture, all ex- 
perienced in the submission to the eternal fiat of 
Jehovah and the requirements of an inexorable law. 

The suffering of the Son of God was not simply 
the suffering of personal death; for in assuming the 
position that He did in making an atonement for the 
sins of the world He bore the weight, the responsibility, 
and the burden of the sins of all men, which, to us, is 
incomprehensible. As stated, "the Lord, your Redeemer, 
suffered death in the flesh; wherefore he suffereth the 
pains of all men;" and Isaiah says: "Surely he hath 
borne our griefs and carried our sorrows," also, "The 
Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all," and 
again, "He hath poured out his soul unto death, and 
he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare 
the sins of many;" or, as it is written in the Second 
Book of Nephi: "For behold, he suffereth the pains of 
all men; yea, the pains of every living creature, both 
men, women and children, who belong to the family of 
Adam;" whilst in Mosiah it is declared: "He shall 
suffer temptations, and pain of body, hunger, thirst and 
fatigue, even more than man can suffer, except it be 
unto death; for behold, blood cometh from every pore, 
so great shall be his anguish for the wickedness and 
abominations of his people." 

Groaning beneath this concentrated load, this intense, 
incomprehensible pressure, this terrible exaction of Divine 
justice, from which feeble humanity shrank, and through 
the agony thus experienced sweating great drops of 
blood, He was led to exclaim, "Father, if it be possible, 
let this cup pass from me." He had wrestled with the 
superincumbent load in the wilderness, He had struggled 
against the powers of darkness that had been let loose 
upon him there; placed below all things, His mind 
surcharged with agony and pain, lonely and apparently 
helpless and forsaken, in his agony the blood oozed from 
His pores. Thus rejected by His own, attacked by the 



THE MEDIATION AND ATONEMENT. 



151 



powers of darkness, and seemingly forsaken by His God, 
on the cross He bowed beneath the accnmnlated load, 
and cried out in anguish, "My God, my God, why hast 
thou forsaken me!" When death approached to relieve 
Him from His horrible position, a ray of hope appeared 
through the abyss of darkness with which He had been 
surrounded, and in a spasm of relief, seeing the bright 
future beyond, He said, "It is finished! Father, into thy 
hands I commend my spirit." As a God, He descended 
below all things, and made Himself subject to man in 
man's fallen condition; as a man, He grappled with all 
the circumstances incident to His sufferings in the world. 
Anointed, indeed, with the oil of gladness above His 
fellows, He struggled with and overcame the powers of men 
and devils, of earth and hell combined; and aided by 
this superior power of the Godhead, He vanquished 
death, hell and the grave, and arose triumphant as the 
Son of God, the very eternal Father, the Messiah, the 
Prince of peace, the Redeemer, the Savior of the world; 
having finished and completed the work pertaining to 
the atonement, which His Father had given Him to do 
as the Son of God and the Son of man. As the Son 
of Man, He endured all that it was possible for flesh 
and blood to endure; as the Son of God He triumphed 
over all, and forever ascended to the right hand of God, 
to further carry out the designs of Jehovah pertaining 
to the world and to the human family. 

And again, not only did His agony affect the mind 
and body of Jesus, causing Him to sweat great drops 
of blood, but by reason of some principle, to us un- 
fathomable, His suffering affected universal nature. 

"World upon world, eternal things, 
Hang on thy anguish, King of kings." , 

When he gave up the ghost, the solid rocks were 
riven, the foundations of the earth trembled, earth- 
quakes shook the continents and rent the isles of the 
sea, a deep darkness overspread the sky, the mighty 
waters overflowed their accustomed bounds, huge moun- 
tains sank and valleys rose, the handiwork of feeble 



152 



THE MEDIATION AND ATONEMENT. 



men was overthrown, their cities were engulphed or 
consumed by the vivid shafts of lightning, and all 
material things were convulsed with the throes of seem- 
ing dissolution. Thus was brought to pass that which 
was spoken by the prophet Zenos: "The rocks of the 
earth must rend : and because of the groanings of the 
earth, many of the kings of the isles of the sea shall 
be wrought upon by the Spirit of God to exclaim. The 
God or nature suffers."' [1 Nephi, xix, 12.] And it is 
recorded, that so confessed the Centurion, and they that 
were with him watching the body of Jesus. For when they 
witnessed the earthquake, and the other things that were 
done, they feared greatly.' saying. "Truly this was the Son 
of God.'' So also was fulfilled that which is written in 
the prophecy of Enoch: 

"And the Lord said unto Enoch. Look : and he 
looked and beheld the Son of Man lifted up on the 
cross, after the manner of men: and he heard a loud 
voice ; and the heavens were veiled; and all the crea- 
tions of God mourned: and the earth groaned: and the 
rocks were rent; and the Saints arose, and were crowned 
at the right hand of the Son of Man, with crowns of 
glory; and as many of the spirits as were in prison 
came forth, and stood on the right hand of God: and 
the remainder were reserved in chains of darkness until 
the judgment of the great day." — Pearl of Great Price. 

Thus, such was the torturing pressure of this in- 
tense, this indescribable agony, that it burst forth abroad 
beyond the confines of His body, convulsed al} nature 
and spread throughout all space. 

The statement previously quoted. "The Lord hath 
laid on him the iniquity of us all." could only be in 
reference to the transgression of our first parent, who, 
acting as the progenitor and -head of the human family, 
assumed a responsibility not only for himself, but for all 
of his seed; for the whole of the human family not 
having then been born, could not be responsible, person- 
ally, for acts that transpired before they had an exist- 
ence on the earth. But as children inherit blessings 



THE MEDIATION AND ATONEMENT. 



153 



from their fathers, so it would also seem that they 
must inherit curses, or share in their calamities. The Lord, 
in speaking to the children of Israel, said He would 
visit "the iniquity of the fathers upon the children 
unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate" 
him; and furthermore "a bastard shall not enter into 
the congregation of the Lord, even to his tenth genera- 
tion." This ostracism or punishment could be for no 
personal act of their own, for they had no part in the 
sin of their parents; any more than Adam's progeny 
had in the original sin or transgression. But it seems 
to be a principle admitted, that if they share the bless- 
ings accruing to their father for righteous acts, they 
must also share the condemnation for acts that are un- 
righteous. Hence comes in the atonement of the 
Messiah, which amply covers all of these acts, and more 
than that, for as Paul says: "But not as the offence, 
so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of 
one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and 
the gift by grace, winch is by one man, Jesus Christ; 
hath abounded unto many." Hence we say, as above, 
the atonement covered more, apparently, than the trans- 
gression; for Adam, without the transgression, would 
have had no increase. That transgression opened the 
way for the increase, as stated by Eve, "Were it not for 
our transgression, we never should have had seed, and 
never should have known good and evil, and the joy of 
our redemption, and the eternal life which God giveth 
unto all the obedient." That being the case, all 
children born among any people, not having arrived at 
the years of accountability, are saved through the 
atonement of Jesus Christ, as stated by Moroni: 

"Little children cannot repent; wherefore it is awful 
wickedness to deny the pure mercies of God unto them, 
for they are all alive in him because of his mercy. And 
he that saith, that little children need baptism, denieth 
the mercies of Christ, and setteth at naught the atone- 
ment of him and the power of his redemption. Wo 
unto such, for they are in danger of death, hell, and 



154 



THE MEDIATION AND ATONEMENT. 



endless torment. I speak it boldly, God hath commanded 
me. Listen unto them and give heed, or they stand 
against you at the judgment seat of Christ. For behold, 
that all little children are alive in Christ, and also all 
they that are without the law. For the power of 
redemption cometh on all they that have no law; 
wherefore, he that is not condemned, or he that is 
under no condemnation, cannot repent; and unto such 
baptism availeth nothing. But it is mockery before God, 
denying the mercies of Christ, and the power of his 
Holy- Spirit, and putting trust in dead works." — Moroni, 
viii, 19—23. 



CHAPTER XXII. 

The Operations of the Priesthood in the Heavens and upon the Earth, 
in Time and Eternity — The Heirs of the Celestial Kingdom — Those 
who Die without Law — The Judges of the Earth — Priests and Kings 
— Christ the King of Kings — Condition of Patriarch Joseph Smith, 
Apostle David Patten and Others— Moses and Elias — The Visits of 
Angels and their Testimonies — Peter, James and John — The Angel 
in the Book of Revelation. 

There is something peculiarly interesting in the con- 
templation' of events associated with the future destiny 
of mankind. Among other things it will be seen that 
there is a very close connection or affinity between the 
operations of the Priesthood in the heavens and the 
Priesthood upon earth. In examining this subject we 
find it written: 

" The Lord redeemeth none such that rebel against 
him and die in their sins; yea, even all those that 
have perished in their sins ever since the world began, 



THE MEDIATION AND ATONEMENT. 



155 



that have wilfully rebelled against God, that have known 
the commandments of God, and would not keep them; 
these are they that have no part in the first resurrec- 
tion."— Mosiah, xv, 26. 

But on the other hand it is promised that those 
who would have received the Gospel if they had had 
the opportunity shall yet have that privilege. The Pro- 
phet Joseph Smith records in his history: "Thus came 
the voice of the Lord unto me, saying, All those who 
have died without a knowledge of this Gospel, who 
would have received it if they had been permitted to 
tarry, shall be heirs of the celestial kingdom of God; 
also all that shall die henceforth without a knowledge 
of it, who would have received it with all their hearts, 
shall be heirs of that kingdom, for I, the Lord, will 
judge all men according to their works, according to the 
desire of their hearts." — Deseret News, Vol. II, No. 22. 

With this agree the words of the Apostle Paul, that 
those who have died without law shall be judged with- 
out law; whilst the Lord further reveals to the Prophet 
Joseph that "that which is governed by law is also 
preserved by law, and perfected and sanctified by the 
same. That which breaketh a law, and abideth not by 
law, but seeketh to become a law unto itself, and will- 
eth to abide in sin, and altogether abideth in sin, can- 
not be sanctified by law, neither by mercy, justice, nor 
judgment. Therefore they must remain filthy still." 

With this teaching is associated a grand principle 
connected with the everlasting Priesthood, which admin- 
isters in time and in eternity. When we reflect upon 
the statement of creatures being judged without law, the 
question arises as to who are to be their judges. We 
may here state that Christ is called the judge of the 
quick and the dead, the judge of all the earth. We 
further read that the Twelve Apostles who ministered 
in Jerusalem "shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the 
twelve tribes of Israel." (Matt., xix, 28.) Also the 
following: 

"And again, verily, verily, I say unto you, and it 



156 



THE MEDIATION AND ATONEMENT. 



hath gone forth in a firm decree, by the will of the 
Father, that mine apostles, the Twelve who were with 
me in my ministry at Jerusalem, shall stand at my 
right hand at the day of my coming in a pillar of 
fire, being clothed with robes of righteousness, with 
crowns upon their head's, in glory even as I am, to 
judge the whole house of Israel, even as many as have 
loved me and kept my commardments, and none else." 
— Doc. and Coy., Sec. xxix, 12, p. 143. 

And Nephi writes in the Book of Mormon: 
"And the angel spake unto me, saying, Behold the 
twelve disciples of the Lamb, who are chosen to minis- 
ter unto thy seed. And he said unto me, Thou remem- 
berest the twelve apostles of the Lamb? Behold, they 
are they who shall judge the twelve tribes of Israel; 
wherefore, the twelve ministers of thy seed shall be 
judged of them; for ye are of the house of Israel. 
And these twelve ministers, whom thou beholdest, shall 
judge thy seed. And, behold they are righteous for ever; 
for because of their faith in the Lamb of God, their 
garments are made white in his blood. " ? — 1 Nephi, xii, 
8—10. 

This exhibits a principle of adjudication or judgment 
in the hands, firstly, of the Great High Priest and King, 
Jesus of Nazareth, the Son of God; secondly, in the 
hands of the Twelve Apostles on the continent of Asia, 
bestowed by Jesus Himself ; thirdly, in the Twelve Dis- 
ciples on this continent, to their peoples, who it appears 
are under the presidency of the Twelve Apostles who 
ministered at Jerusalem; which presidency is also exhib- 
ited by Peter, James and John, the acknowledged presi- 
dency of the Twelve Apostles; they, holding this Priest- 
hood first on the earth, and then in the heavens, being 
the legitimate custodians of the keys of the Priesthood, 
came and -bestowed -it upon Joseph Smith and Oliver 
Cowdery. It is also further stated that the Saints shall 
judge the world. Thus Christ is at the head, His Apos- 
tles and disciples seem to take the next prominent 
part; then comes the action of the Saints, or other 



THE MEDIATION AND ATONEMENT. 



157 



branches of the Priesthood, who it is stated shall judge 
the world. This combined Priesthood, it would appear, 
will hold the destiny of the human family in their 
hands and adjudicate in all matters pertaining to their 
affairs; and it would seem to be quite reasonable, 
if the Twelve Apostles in Jerusalem are to be the judges 
of the Twelve Tribes, and the Twelve Disciples on this 
continent are to be the judges of the descendants of 
Nephi, then that the brother of Jared and Jared should 
be the judges of the Jareclites, their descendants; and, 
further, that the First Presidency and Twelve who have 
officiated in our age, should operate in regard to man- 
kind in this dispensation, and also in regard to all 
matters connected with them, whether they relate to the 
past, present, or future, as the aforementioned have done 
in regard to their several peoples ; and that the Patri- 
archs, the Presidents, the Twelve, the High Priests, the 
Seventies, the Elders, the Bishops, Priests, Teachers and 
Deacons should hold their several places behind the 
veil, and officiate according to their calling and standing 
in that Priesthood. In fact, the Priesthood is called an 
everlasting Priesthood; it ministers in time and in eter- 
.nity. Moses speaks of the Levitical Priesthood as an 
everlasting Priesthood. (Ex., xl, 15.) Paul refers to the 
Melchizedek Priesthood as being " without father, without 
mother, without descent, having neither beginning of 
days, nor end of life." (Heb., vii, 3.) Whilst the Pro- 
phet Joseph Smith states that this " Priesthood continu- 
eth in the Church of God in all generations, and is 
without beginning of days or end of years." (Doc. and 
Gov., Sec. lxxxiv, 17, p. 290.) 

This being the case, it necessarily follows that those 
holding the Priesthood on the earth continue in the 
exercise of that" Priesthood in the heavens, their opera- 
tions being changed from this to another state of exist- 
ence; and when the dead, small and great, shall be 
judged, while God stands at the head, and Jesus is the 
great High Priest of our profession, all those who have 
ever lived who are worthy will stand in their proper 



158 THE MEDIATION AND ATONEMENT. 

positions, according to their callings, Priesthood, ordina- 
tions or quorums. It is written that they without us 
can not be made perfect, and that we without them 
can not be made perfect. We have commenced to build 
temples, and to administer in them according to the 
decrees, purposes and foreknowledge of God. When we 
have got through with our personal affairs connected 
with our individual families and interests, so far as we 
can legitimately trace them, then it becomes a question 
as to the position of those that are behind the veil of 
whom we have no personal knowledge. Does it not 
seem consistent that to the ancient as well as the 
modern Patriarchs, Prophets, Presidents, Apostles, Sev- 
enties, High Priests, Elders, Bishops and others would 
be committed the manipulation and judgment of those 
who are behind the veil; and with whom we, at 
present, have nothing to do? And if temples are 
to be built here and ordinances performed in them 
in the interest of those who have died without law, 
and in the adjudication of all these matters, that the 
Priesthood behind the veil, to whom is committed 
the judgment of these things, should communicate 
with the Priesthood upon the earth, that they may 
be administered for by proxy in the temples erect- 
ed by us, and those who shall follow after us; that 
all things may be done according to equity, law, and 
justice, and that none but those worthy to receive those 
great blessings and high exaltations can participate in 
the same; being thus sanctioned by the Priesthood in 
heaven and the Priesthood upon the earth? Hence, 
while they are saviors, preach to the spirits in prison 
and judge the dead, we build temples and administer 
for them upon the earth, and thus become, as it is writ- 
ten, " saviors upon Mount Zion;" operating and co- 
operating with the Priesthood behind the veil, in the 
interest, happiness, salvation and exaltation of the human 
family. Thus shall we also become legitimately and by 
right, through the atonement and adoption, Kings and 
Priests — Priests to administer in the holy ordinances , 



THE MEDIATION AND ATONEMENT. 159 

pertaining to the endowments and exaltations; and Kings, 
under Christ, who is King of Kings and Lord of Lords, 
to rule and govern, according to the eternal laws of jus- 
tice and equity, those who are thus redeemed and 
exalted. 

In corroboration of these ideas is the statement, in 
the Book of Doctiine and Covenants, that Father Joseph 
Smith, who was the first Patriarch to the Church in 
this dispensation, is now at the right hand of Abraham, 
w T ho was also a presiding Patriarch. The passage reads: 

" That I may receive him unto myself, even as I 
did * * * my aged servant, Joseph 

Smith, sen., who sitteth with Abraham at his right 
hand, and blessed and holy is he, for he is mine." — 
Doc. and Cov., cxxiv, 19, p. 431. 

It is also stated of David Patten, one of the Twelve 
Apostles, who was slain by the mobbers in Missouri, 
that "David Patten I have taken unto myself; behold, 
his Priesthood no man taketh from him; but, verily I 
say unto you, another may be appointed unto the same 
calling." — Doc. and Cov., cxxiv, 130, p. 445. 

The same is said of Seymour Brunson, one of the 
High Council, and of Edward Partridge, the first Bishop 
of the Church, both of whom were dead: 

"Seymour Brunson I have taken unto myself, no 
man taketh his Priesthood, but another may be appointed 
unto the same Priesthood in his stead." — Doc. and Cov., 
Sec. cxxiv, 132, p. 445. " That when he shall finish his 
work, that I may receive him unto myself, even 
as I did my servant David Patten, who is with me at 
this time, and also my servant Edward Partridge." — 
Doc. and Cov., Sec. cxxiv, 19, p. 431. 

We read that Moses and Etias came to administer 
to Jesus, on the Mount, while Peter, James and John 
were with him. Who were this Moses and this Mias? 
Moses was a great Prophet, appointed by the Lord to 
deliver Israel from Egyptian bondage, and lead them to 
the promised land; and he held the keys of the gathering 
dispensation, which keys he afterwards conferred upon 



160 



THE MEDIATION AND ATONEMENT. 



Joseph Smith in the Kirtland Temple. Who was Elias? 
Elijah; which name in the old Scriptures is made syn- 
onymous with Elias; and who held, according to the 
testimony of Joseph Smith as elsewhere stated, the keys 
of the Priesthood. These men, who held those keys 
and officiated upon the earth, having left the earth, now 
come, associated with Jesus, to administer to Peter, 
James and John, and confer upon them the Priesthood 
which they hold; and these three ancient Apostles con- 
ferred the Priesthood upon Joseph Smith and Oliver 
Cowdery in this dispensation. This principle is very 
clearly illustrated in the following quotation from the 
Book of Doctrine and Covenants, Sec. cxxviii, 20, 
21, p., 457: 

"And again, what do we hear? Glad tidings from 
Cumorah! Moroni, an angel from heaven, declaring the 
fulfilment of the prophets — the book to be revealed. A 
voice of the Lord in the wilderness of Fayette, Seneca 
County, declaring the three witnesses to bear record of 
the book. The voice of Michael on the banks of the 
Susquehanna, detecting the devil when he appeared as 
an angel of light. The voice of Peter, James and John 
in the wilderness between Harmony, Susquehanna county, 
and Colesville, Broome county, on the Susquehanna 
river, declaring themselves as possessing the keys of the 
kingdom, and of the dispensation of the fulness of times. 

"And again, the voice of God in the chamber of 
old Father Whitmer, in Fayette, Seneca County, and at 
sundry times and in divers places through all the trav- 
els and tribulations of this Church of Jesus Christ of 
Latter-day Saints. And the voice of Michael, the arch- 
angel; the voice of Gabriel, and of Raphael, and of 
divers angels, from Michael or Adam, down to the 
present time, all declaring their dispensation, their rights, 
their keys, their honors, their majesty and glory, 
and the power of their Priesthood; giving line upon 
line, precept upon precept; here a little and there a 
little — giving us consolation by holding* forth that which 
is to come, confirming our hope." 



THE MEDIATION AND ATONEMENT. 161 

' Hence their Priesthood was everlasting, it adminis- 
tered in time and in eternity. In consonance with the 
same idea is a remark made by a mighty angel, to be 
found in the Revelation received by St. John on the Isle 
of Patmos. After this angel had communicated to John 
many great and important events yet to transpire, the 
Apostle was so overawed by his presence that he fell at 
his feet to worship him; whereas the angel said, "See 
that thou do it not; I am thy fellow servant, and of 
thy brethren that have kept the testimony of Jesus: 
worship God; for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of 
prophecy." (Rev., xix, 10.) In other words, he had held 
the holy Priesthood on the earth and had officiated 
therein; he had been subjected to all the obloquy, con- 
tumely and reproach which the Prophets of God generally 
suffered. But now the scene was changed; he was of- 
ficiating in another sphere, and was revealing unto the 
Apostle John, who had a peculiar mission on the earth, 
some of the great and important truths or events that 
should be developed in the accomplishment of the pur- 
poses of God. All of these men, having held the ever- 
lasting Priesthood on earth, still retain the power and 
authority conferred upon them, and stand forth as prom- 
inent examples of the perpetuity of the everlasting 
Priesthood, administering on the earth or in the heavens, 
as the purposes of God and the fulfilment of their 
duties render necessary, or the circumstances require. 



162 



THE MEDIATION AND ATONEMENT. 



CHAPTER XXIII. 

The Laws of God Unchangeable, Universal and Eternal— Examples and 
Definitions— Evolutionists— Kingdoms and Light— Christ the Creator, 
etc.— Deviations from General Laws— Every Kingdom has a Law 
Given. 

There is an inexorable law of God that requires 
from His professed followers the principles of virtue, 
honor, truth, integrity, righteousness, justice, judgment 
and mercy, as exhibited in the following Scriptures: 

''Justice and judgment are the habitation- of thy 
throne: mercy and truth shall go before thy face." — 
Psalm lxxxix, 14. 

"Thou lovest righteousness, and hatest wickedness: 
therefore God, thy God, hath anointed thee with the 
oil of gladness above thy fellows." — Psalm xlv, 7. 

"Lord, who shall abide in thy tabernacle? who shall 
dwell in thy holy hill? He that walketh uprightly, and 
worketh righteousness, and speaketh the truth in his 
heart. He that backbiteth not with his tongue, nor 
doeth evil to his neighbor, nor taketh up a reproach 
against his neighbor. In whose eyes a vile person is con- 
temned; but he honoreth them that fear the Lord. He 
that sweareth to his own hurt, and changeth not. He 
that putteth not out his money to usury, nor taketh 
reward against the innocent. He that doeth these things 
shall never be moved."— Psalm xv, 1 — 5. 

"Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord? or 
who shall stand in his holy place? He that hath clean 
hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his 
soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully. He shall receive 
the blessing from the Lord, and righteousness from the 
God of his salvation." — Psalm xxiv, 3 — 5. 

"Who among us shall dwell with the devouring 
fire? who among us shall dwell with everlasting burn- 



THE MEDIATION AND ATONEMENT. 163 

ings? Pie that walketh righteously, and speaketh 
uprightly; he that despiseth the gain of oppressions, that 
shaketh his hands from holding of bribes, that stoppeth 
his ears from hearing of blood, and shutteth his eyes 
from seeing evil. He shall dwell on high; his place of 
defence shall be the munitions of rocks: bread shall be 
given him; his waters shall be sure." — Isaiah, xxxiii, 
14—16. 

There are eternal, unchangeable laws associated with 
God, and with all His plans, His works and ways, the 
requirements of which must be met; nor can they be 
evaded or changed, except on certain principles provided 
for and contained in the laws themselves. When man 
had transgressed, an atonement had to be made commen- 
surate with the act, and fully adequate to meet the in- 
exorable demands of justice; so that, as stated, justice 
might be satisfied, which, if it had not been, the law per- 
taining to this matter could not have been carried out, 
and must necessarily have been violated. 

All the works of God connected with the world 
which we inhabit, and with all other worlds, are strictly 
governed by law. So accurate are the movements of the 
heavenly bodies that even with our limited knowledge 
we can compute, after the departure of most of these 
bodies, the time of their return to a minute. The sun 
rises and sets with great regularity, and we can tell to a 
moment, by calculating the revolution of the earth, at 
what time it will make its appearance in the morning 
and disappear in the evening; the same rule applies to 
the moon, the whole of the solar system, and to all 
bodies that can be reached by our instruments. There 
is perfect regularity, exactitude and order associated with 
all worlds; a departure from which would produce 
incalculable evil and irretrievable destruction and ruin. 
With regard to the matter of which the earth is com- 
posed, it is also governed by strict, unchangeable laws; 
matter possessing the same properties under the same 
conditions, in all parts of the world. The various gras- 
ses, herbs, plants, shrubs, flowers, minerals, metals, waters, 



164 



THE MEDIATION AND ATONEMENT. 



fluids or gases, when under the same conditions, are sub- 
ject to or governed by unchangeable laws; and b} r those 
laws chemists or scientists are enabled to apply tests to 
demonstrate the properties of the various elements in 
nature, which they find are always immutable, and the 
same degree of accuracy applies to the laws and various 
formations of crystallization, under the same circumstan- 
ces. The animal and vegetable creations are governed by 
certain laws, and are composed of certain elements pecu- 
liar to themselves. This applies to man, to the beasts, 
fowls, fish and creeping things, to the insects and to all 
animated nature; each one possessing its own distinctive 
features, each requiring a specific sustenance, each having 
an organism and faculties governed by prescribed laws to 
perpetuate its own kind. So accurate is the formation of 
the various living creatures that an intelligent student of 
nature can tell by any particular bone of the skeleton 
of an animal to what class or order it belongs. 

These principles do not change, as represented by 
evolutionists of the Darwinian school, but the primitive 
organisms of all living beings exist in the same form 
as when they first received their impress from their 
Maker. There are, indeed, some very slight exceptions, 
as for instance, the ass may mix with the mare and 
produce the mule; but there it ends, the violation of 
the laws of procreation receives a check, and its opera- 
tions can go no further. Similar compounds may possibly 
be made by experimentalists in the vegetable and min- 
eral kingdoms, but the original elements remain the 
same. Yet this is not the normal, but an abnormal 
condition with them, as with animals, birds, etc.; 
and if we take man, he is said to have been 
made in the image of God, for the simple reason that 
he is a son of God; and being His son, he is, of 
course, His offspring, an emanation from God, in whose 
likeness, we are told, he is made. He did not originate 
from a chaotic mass of matter, moving or inert, but 
came forth possessing, in an embryotic state, all the 
faculties and powers of a God. And when he shall be 



THE MEDIATION AND ATONEMENT. 



165 



perfected, and have progressed to maturity, he will be 
like his Father — a God; being indeed His offspring. As 
the horse, the ox, the sheep, and every living creature, 
including man, propagates its own species and perpetu- 
ates its own kind, so does God perpetuate His. 

There are different organisms possessing different 
qualities, from which the same results are uniformly 
obtained. The body of a sheep produces wool, that of 
a goat produces hair, the flesh of certain kinds of fish 
produces scales, the flesh of birds produces feathers, and 
by the coverings of the various kinds of animals, birds 
and fishes, may their originals be known. It is true 
that some of these coverings may be slightly changed 
by a removal of the creature from the arctic to the 
torrid izone, or vice versa; wool may assume a nearer 
approach to hair in length and texture, or hair may 
become more woolly, but these modifications are slight, 
and this covering of the animal is predisposed to return 
to its original qualities when the creature is replaced in 
his natural habitat. Paul, in speaking on the resur- 
rection, refers to the different qualities of flesh as 
follows: 

"But God giveth it a body as it hath pleased him, 
and to every seed his own body. All flesh is not the 
same flesh; but there is one kind of flesh of men, 
another flesh of beasts, another of fishes, and another of 
birds."— 1 Cor., xv, 38, 39. 

These different qualities seem to be inherent in 
the several species, as much so as the properties of 
silver, gold, copper, iron and other minerals are inherent 
in the matter in which they are contained, whilst 
herbs, according to their kind, possess their specific 
properties, or as the leading properties of earth, air, 
and water, are distinct from one another; and hence, on 
physiological grounds, this principle being admitted, and 
it cannot be controverted, it would be impossible to 
take the tissues of the lower, or, indeed, of any order 
of fishes, and make of them an ox, a bird, or a man; 
as impossible as it would be to take iron and make it 



166 



THE MEDIATION AND ATONEMENT. 



into gold, silver, or copper, or to produce other changes 
in the laws which govern any kind of matter. And 
when the resurrection and exaltation of man shall be 
consummated, although more pure, refined and glorious, 
yet will he still be in the same image, and have the 
same likeness, without variation or change in any of 
his parts or faculties, except the substitution of spirit 
for blood. 

This principle of exactitude in all the works of 
God represents the principles that dwell in God 
Himself. He is called in Scripture the I AM, in 
other words, I AM THAT I AM, because of those 
inherent principles, which are also eternal and unchange 
able; for where those principles exist, He exists; and 
when speaking of the worlds by which we are surrounded, 
it is said, "Behold, all these are kingdoms, and any man 
who hath seen any, or the least of these, hath seen 
God moving in his majesty and power." — Doc. and Cov., 
sec. lxxxviii, 47, p. 310. 

And again it is written: 

" He comprehendeth all things, and all things are 
before him, and all things are round about him: and 
he is above all things, and in all things, and is through 
all things, and is round about all things; and all things 
are by him, and of him, even God, for ever and ever. 
And again, verily I say unto you, he hath given a law 
unto all things, by which they move in their times and 
their seasons."— Ibid., 41, 42, p. 309. 

And again, in the same revelation, we read: 
" As also he is in the sun, and the light of the sun, 
and the power thereof by which it was made. As also 
he is in the moon, and is the light of the moon, and 
the power thereof by which it was made. As also the 
light of the stars, and the power thereof by which they 
were made. And the earth also, and the power thereof; 
even the earth upon which you stand. And the light 
which now shineth, which giveth you light, is through 
him who enlighteneth your eyes, which is the same light 
that quickeneth your understandings; which light pro- 



THE MEDIATION AND ATONEMENT. 



167 



ceedeth forth from the presence of God to fill the 
immensity of space. The light which is in all things; 
which giveth life to all things: which is the law by 
which all things are governed: even the power of God 
who sitteth upon his throne, who is in the bosom of 
eternity, who is in the midst of all things." — Ibid., 7 — 13, 
p. 306. 

The world was made by Him, and without Him 
was not anything made that was made, and, therefore, 
having made all things He has given to all things a 
law; and hence those laws which we have briefly 
alluded to, are the productions of His comprehensive, 
intelligent, and infinite mind: He is the Alpha and 
Omega, the Beginning and the End, the Fountain of all 
life, of all light, of all truth, of all intelligence, of all 
existence. He is also the sustained of all life and all 
light in all created beings; in Him all animal life of 
every form has its being. 

There are some apparent deviations from general 
laws. But these apparent deviations are merely appendages 
to the great general law, in order that creation may 
be perfect in all its parts. For instance, there is a 
general law of what is termed gravitation which causes 
bodies to fall to the earih from a given height, with 
the same velocity according to their specific gravity. But 
there are other local laws which disturb the normal 
conditions, so far as they extend, of what may be 
termed the general law. As, for example, the magnet, 
in its limited sphere, is more powerful than the general 
law of gravity, it attracting certain matter to itself in 
opposition to the general law, while the magnet itself is 
subject to the general law. There is also another 
principle, called capillary attraction, which causes water 
and other fluids to ascend in the earth, in tubes, etc. 
Take away these local agencies and everything resumes 
its normal condition. A bird, through the use of its 
w T ings, possesses the power of locomotion through the air; 
let that bird, however, lose its mechanism and power 
by being maimed or killed, and it is governed by the 



168 



THE MEDIATION AND ATONEMENT. 



same law of gravitation and drops to the earth. Balloons 
will ascend and carry a specified weight with them to 
great altitudes, but this is owing to a modification of 
one part of the law of gravitation; which causes denser 
bodies to cling with greater tenacity to the earth, and 
the gas that enters the balloons is more rarified than 
the atmosphere immediately contiguous to the earth; 
which dense atmosphere forces the lighter gases to their 
proper place, causing them to bound upwards; this 
being done and the equilibrium obtained, if the gas is 
permitted to escape, the materials of which the balloon 
is composed, together with its occupants, are precipitated, 
according to the general laws of gravitation, to the 
earth. 

God is unchangeable, so are also his laws, in all 
their forms, and in all their applications,' and being 
Himself the essence of law, the giver of law, the 
sustainer of law, all of those laws are eternal in all their 
operations, in all bodies and matter, and throughout all 
space. It would be impossible for Him to violate law, 
because in so doing He would strike at His own dignity, 
power, principles, glory, exaltation and existence. 
The book of Doctrine and Covenants states: 
"And again, verily I say unto you, that which is 
governed by law is also preserved by law, and perfected 
and sanctified by the same. That which breaketh a law, 
and abideth not by law, but seeketh to become a law 
unto itself, and willeth to abide in sin, and altogether 
abideth in sin, cannot be sanctified by law, neither by 
mercy, justice, nor judgment. Therefore they must 
remain filthy still. All kingdoms have a law given: 
and there are many kingdoms; for there is no space 
in the which there is no kingdom; and there is no 
kingdom in which there is no space, either a greater or a 
lesser kingdom. And unto every kingdom is given a 
law; and unto every law there are certain bounds also 
and conditions. All beings who abide not in those 
conditions are not justified; for intelligence cleaveth unto 
intelligence; wisdom receiveth wisdom; truth embraceth 



THE MEDIATION AND ATONEMENT. 



169 



truth; virtue loveth virtue; light cleaveth unto light; 
mercy hath compassion on mercy, and claimeth her own; 
justice continueth its course, and claimeth its own; 
judgment goeth before the face of him who sitteth upon 
the throne, and govern eth and executeth all things." — 
Sec. lxxxviii, 34—40, p.p. 308, 309. 

Hence, the law of atonement had to be met as 
well as all other laws, for God could not be God with- 
out fulfilling it. 

Jesus said, "If it be possible, let this cup pass." 
But it was not possible; for to have done so would 
have been a violation of the law, and he had to 
take it. The atonement must be made, a God must 
be sacrificed. No power can resist a law of God. It is 
omnipresent, omnipotent, exists everywhere, in all things, 
through all things and round about all things. We 
read : 

u O the greatness of the mercy of our God, the 
Holy One of Israel! For he delivereth his saints from 
that awful monster the devil, and death, and hell, and 
that lake of fire and brimstone, wdiich is endless tor- 
ment. 0 how great the holiness of our God! For he 
knoweth all things, and there is not any thing, save 
he knows it. And he cometh into the world that he 
may save all men, if they will hearken unto his voice; 
for behold, he -suffereth the pains of all men; yea, 
the pains of every living creature, both men, women, 
and children, who belong to the family of Adam. And 
he suffereth this, that the resurrection might pass upon 
all men, that all might stand before him at the great 
and judgment day. And he commandeth all men that 
they must repent, and be baptized in his name, having 
perfect faith in the Holy One of Israel, or they cannot 
be saved in the kingdom of God. And if they will not 
repent and believe in his name, and be baptized in his 
name, and endure to the end, they must be damned; for 
the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel, has spoken it; 
Wherefore he has given a law; and where there is no 
law given, there is no punishment; and where there is 



170 



THE MEDIATION AND ATONEMENT. 



no punishment, there is no condemnation; and where 
there is no condemnation, the mercies of the Holy One 
of Israel have claim upon them, because of the atone- 
ment; for they are delivered by the power of him; 
for the atonement satisfieth the demands of his justice 
upon all those who have not the law given to them, 
that they are delivered from that awful monster, death 
and hell, and the devil, and the lake of fire and brim- 
stone, which is endless torment; and they are restored 
to that God who gave them breath, which is the Holy 
One of Israel. But wo unto him that has the law 
given; yea, that has all the commandments of God like 
unto us, and that transgresseth them, and that wasteth 
the days of his probation, for awful is his state." — 2 
Nephi, ix, 19—27. 



CHAPTER XXIV. 

The Results of the Atonement— The Debt Paid— Justice and Mercy- 
Extracts from the Teachings of Alma and Others. 

From the facts in the case and the testimony pre- 
sented in the Scriptures it becomes evident that through 
the great atonement, the expiatory sacrifice of the Son 
of God, it is made possible that man can be redeemed, 
restored, resurrected and exalted to the elevated position 
designed for him in the creation as a Son of God: that 
eternal justice and law required the penalty to be paid 
by man himself, or by the atonement of the Son of 
God: that Jesus offered Himself as the great expiatory 
sacrifice ; that this offering being in accordance with the 
demands or requirements of the law, was accepted by the 



THE MEDIATION AND ATONEMENT. 



171 



great Lawgiver ; that it was prefigured by sacrifices, and 
ultimately fulfilled by Himself according to the eternal 
covenant. "He was wounded (as prophesied of) for our 
transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities, the 
chastisement of our peace was upon him, and with his 
stripes we are healed." 

The Savior thus becomes master of the situation — 
the debt is paid, the redemption made, the covenant ful- 
filled, justice satisfied, the will of God done, and all 
power is now given into the hands of the Son of God 
— the power of the resurrection, the power of the re- 
demption, the power of salvation, the power to enact 
laws for the carrying out and accomplishment of this 
design. Hence life and immortality are brought to light, 
the Gospel is introduced, and He becomes the author of 
eternal life and exaltation. He is the Redeemer, the 
Resurrector, the Savior of man and the world ; and He 
has appointed the law of the Gospel as the medium 
which must be complied with in this world or the 
next, as He complied with His Father's law ; hence 
"he that believeth shall be saved, and he that believeth 
not shall be damned " 

The plan, the arrangement, the agreement, the cove- 
nant was made, entered into and accepted before the 
foundation of the world; it was prefigured by sacrifices, 
and was carried out and consummated on the cross. 

Hence being the mediator between God and man, 
He becomes by right the dictator and director on earth 
and in heaven for the living and for the dead, for the 
past, the present and the future, pertaining to man as 
associated with this earth or the heavens, in time or 
eternity, the Captain of our salvation, the Apostle and 
High- Priest of our profession, the Lord and Giver of 
life. 

Is justice dishonored ? No ; it is satisfied, the debt 
is paid. Is righteousness departed from ? No ; this is a 
righteous act. All requirements are met. Is judgment 
violated ? No; its demands are fulfilled. Is mercy tri- 
umphant ? No ; she simply claims her own. Justice, 



172 



THE MEDIATION AND ATONEMENT. 



judgment, mercy and truth, all harmonize as the at- 
tributes of Deity. "Justice and truth have met to- 
gether, righteousness and peace have kissed each other." 
Justice and judgment triumph as well as mercy and 
peace; all the attributes of Deity harmonize in this 
great, grand, momentous, just, equitable, merciful and 
meritorious act. 

The Book of Mormon is very explicit on these 
principles. We read therein: 

"And behold, I say unto you, this is not all : For 
O how beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of 
him that bringeth good tidings., that is the founder of 
peace : yea, even the Lord, who has redeemed his people: 
yea, him who has granted salvation unto his people: 
For were it not for the redemption which he hath made 
for his people, which was prepared from the founda- 
tion of the world ; I say unto you, were it not for this, 
all mankind must have perished. But behold, the bands 
of death shall be broken, and the Son reigneth, and 
hath power over the dead ; therefore, he bringeth to 
pass the resurrection of the dead. And there cometh a 
resurrection, even a first resurrection ; yea even a res- 
urrection of those that have been, and who are, and 
who shall be, even until the resurrection of Christ: for 
so shall he be called. And now, the resurrection of all 
the prophets, and all those that have believed in their 
words, or all those that have kept the commandments 
of God, shall come forth in the first resurrection; there- 
fore, they are the first resurrection. They are raised to 
dwell with God who has redeemed them: thus they 
have eternal life through Christ, who has broken the 
bands of death. And these are those who have part in 
the first resurrection ; and these are they that have died 
before Christ came, in their ignorance, not having salva- 
tion declared unto them. And thus the Lord bringeth 
about the restoration of these ; and they have a part 
in the first resurrection, or have eternal life, being re- 
deemed by the Lord. And little children also have 
eternal life. But behold, and fear, and tremble before 



THE MEDIATION AND ATONEMENT. 



173 



God ; for ye ought to tremble: for the Lord redeemeth 
none such that rebel against him, and die in their sins; 
yea, even all those that have perished in their sins ever 
since the world began, that have wilfully rebelled 
against God, that have known the commandments of 
God, and would not keep them ; these are they that 
have no part in the first resurrection. Therefore had 
ye not ought to tremble ? For salvation cometh to 
none such ; for the Lord hath redeemed none such; 
yea, neither can the Lord redeem such ; for he cannot 
deny himself; for he cannot deny justice when it has 
its claim." — Mosiah, xv, 18—27. 

The next is a portion of a sermon of the Prophet 
Amulek, the companion of Alma, to the Zoramites: 

"My brother has called upon the words of Zenos, 
that redemption cometh through the Son of God, and 
also upon the words of Zenoch ; and also he has ap- 
pealed unto Moses, to prove that these things are true. 
And now behold, I will testify unto you of myself that 
these things are true. Behold, I say unto you, that I 
do know that Christ shall come among the ■ children of 
men, to take upon him the transgressions of his people, 
and that he shall atone for the sins of the world; for 
the Lord God hath spoken it; for it is expedient that 
an atonement should be made; for according to the 
great plan of the eternal God, there must be an atone- 
ment made, or else all mankind must unavoidably 
perish; yea, all are hardened; yea, all are fallen and 
are lost, and must perish, except it be through the 
atonement which it is expedient should be made; for 
it is expedient that there should be a great and last 
sacrifice; yea, not a sacrifice of man, neither of beast, 
neither of any manner of fowl; for it shall not be a 
human sacrifice; but it must be an infinite and eternal 
sacrifice. Now there is not any man that can sacrifice 
his own blood, which will atone for the sins of another. 
Now if a man murdereth, behold will our law, which is 
just, take the life of his brother ? I say unto you nay. 
But the law requireth the life of him who hath mur- 



174 



THE MEDIATION AND ATONEMENT. 



dered; therefore there can be nothing which is short of 
an infinite atonement, which will suffice for the sins of 
the world; therefore it is expedient that there should 
be a great and last sacrifice; and then shall there be, 
or it is expedient there should be a stop to the 
shedding of blood; then shall the law of Moses be ful- 
filled; yea, it shall be all fulfilled; every jot and tittle; 
and none shall have passed away. And behold, this is 
the whole meaning of the law: every whit pointing to 
that great and last sacrifice; and that great and last 
sacrifice will be the Son of God: yea, infinite and eter- 
nal; and thus he shall bring salvation to all those who 
shall believe on his name; this being the intent of this 
last sacrifice, to bring about the bowels of mercy, which 
overpowereth justice, and bringeth about means unto 
men that they may have faith unto repentance. And 
thus mercy can satisfy the demands of justice, and en- 
circles them in the arms of safety, while he that exer- 
cises no faith unto repentance, is exposed to the whole 
law of the demands of justice; therefore only unto him 
that has faith unto repentance, is brought about the 
great and eternal plan of redemption. Therefore may 
God grant unto you, my brethren, that ye may begin 
to exercise your faith unto repentance, that ye begin 
to call upon his holy name, that he would have mercy 
upon you." — Alma, xxxiv, 7 — 17. 

And again, to quote from the - commandments of 
Alma to his son Corianton: 

"And now, my son, I perceive there is somewhat 
more which doth worry your mind, which ye cannot 
understand, which is concerning the justice of God, in 
the punishment of the sinner; for ye do try to suppose 
that it is injustice that the sinner should be consigned 
to a state of misery. Now, behold, my son, I will 
explain this thing unto thee: for behold, after the Lord 
God sent our first parents forth from the Garden of 
Eden, to till the ground, from whence they were taken; 
yea, he drew out the man, and he placed at the east .end 
of the Garden of Eden, Cherubim, and a naming sword 



THE MEDIATION AND ATONEMENT. 



175 



which turned every way, to keep the tree of life. Now 
we see that the man had become as God, knowing good 
and evil; and lest he should put forth his hand, and 
take also of the tree of life, and eat and live for ever, 
the Lord God placed Cherubim and the naming sword, 
that he should not partake of the fruit; and thus we 
see, that there was a time granted unto man to repent, 
yea, a probationary time, a time to repent and serve 
God. For behold, if Adam had put forth his hand 
immediately, and partook of the tree of life, he would 
have lived for ever, according to the word of God, hav- 
ing no space for repentance; yea, and also the word of 
God would have been void, and the great plan of sal- 
vation would have been frustrated. But behold, it was 
appointed unto man to die; therefore as they were cut 
off from the tree of life they should be cut off from 
the face of the earth, and man become lost for ever; yea, 
they became fallen man. And now we see by this, that 
our parents were cut off, both temporally and spiritually, 
from the presence of the Lord; and thus we see they 
became subjects to follow after their own will. Now be- 
hold, it was not expedient that man should be reclaimed 
from this temporal death, for that would destroy the 
great plan of happiness; therefore, as the soul could 
never die, and the fall had brought upon all mankind 
a spiritual death as well as a temporal; that is, they 
were cut off from the presence of the Lord; it was 
expedient that mankind should be reclaimed from this 
spiritual death; therefore, as they had become carnal, 
sensual, and devilish by nature, this probationary state 
became a state for them to prepare; it became a pre- 
paratory state. And now remember, my son, if it were 
not for the plan of redemption, (laying it aside,) as 
soon as they were dead, their souls were miserable, 
being cut off from the presence of the Lord. And now 
there was no means to reclaim men from this fallen 
state which man had brought upon himself, because of 
his own disobedience; therefore, according to justice, the 
plan of redemption could not be brought about, only on 



176 • THE MEDIATION AND ATONEMENT. 

conditions of repentance of men in this probationary 
state; yea, this preparatory state; for except it were for 
these conditions, mercy could not take effect except it 
should destroy the work of justice. Now the work of 
justice could not be destroyed; if so, God would cease 
to be God. And thus we see that all mankind were 
fallen, and they were in the grasp of justice; yea, the 
justice of God, which consigned them for ever to be 
cut off from his presence. And now the plan of mercy 
could not be brought about, except an atonement should 
be made; therefore God himself atoneth for the sins of 
the world, to bring about the plan of mercy, to appease 
the demands of justice, that God might be a perfect, 
just God, and a merciful God also. Now repentance 
could not come unto men, except there were a punish- 
ment, which also was eternal as the life of the soul 
should be, affixed opposite to the plan of happiness, 
which was as eternal also as the life of the soul. Now, 
how could a man repent, except he should sin? How 
could he sin, if there was no law? How could there be 
a law, save there was a punishment? Now there was a 
punishment affixed, and a just law given, which brought 
remorse of conscience unto man. Now if there was no 
law given if a man murdered he should die, would 
he be afraid he would die if he should murder? And 
also, if there was no law given against sin, men would 
not be afraid to sin. And if there was no law given 
if men sinned, what could justice do, or mercy either; 
for they would have no claim upon the creature? But 
there is a law given, and a punishment affixed, and a 
repentance granted; which repentance, mercy claimeth; 
otherwise, justice claimeth the creature, and executeth 
the law, and the law inflicteth the punishment: if not 
so, the works of justice would be destroyed, and God 
would cease to be God. But God ceaseth not to be God, 
and mercy claimeth the penitent, and mercy cometh be- 
cause of the atonement; and the atonement bringeth to 
pass the resurrection of the dead; and the resurrection 
of the dead bringeth back men into the presence of 



THE MEDIATION AND ATONEMENT. 



177 



God; and thus they are restored into his presence, to 
be judged according to their works; according to the 
law and justice; for behold, justice exerciseth all his 
demands, and also mercy claimeth all which is her own; 
and thus, none but the truly penitent are saved. What ! 
do ye suppose that mercy can rob justice? I say unto 
you, nay; not one whit. If so, God would cease to be 
God. And thus God bringeth about his great and eter- 
nal purposes, which were prepared from the foundation 
of the world. And thus cometh about the salvation 
and the redemption of men, and also their destruction 
and misery." — Alma, xlii, 1 — 26. 

In the first place, according to justice men could 
not have been redeemed from temporal death, except 
through the atonement of Jesus Christ; and in the 
second place, they could not be redeemed from spiritual 
death, only through obedience to His law. 



CHAPTER XXV. 

The Resurrection— The Universality of the Atonement— The Promises 
to those who Overcome — The Gospel— Its First Principles— Faith, 
Repentance, Baptism and the Gift of the Holy Ghost— Its Antiquity 
—It is Preached in Various Dispensations, from Adam until the 
Present — The Final Triumph of the Saints. 

The great pre-requisites having been fulfilled, it 
now becomes our duty to enquire what next had to be 
done to consummate the great object obtainable through 
the fulfilment of this law, or what was accomplished 
by the atonement. 

12 



178 



THE MEDIATION AND ATONEMENT. 



First, the Resurrection. The penalty of the broken 
law in Adam's day was death; and death is passed 
upon all. The word of the Lord was, "In the day 
that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die." The 
atonement made by Jesus Christ brought about the 
resurrection from the dead, and restored life. And 
hence Jesus said: "I am the Resurrection and the Life; 
he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall 
he live;" and Jesus Himself became the first fruits of 
those who slept. 

The next question that arises is, how far does this 
principle extend and to whom is it applicable? It extends 
to all the human family; to all men of every nation: 
as it is written: 

"For, if by one man's offence death reigneth by 
one; much more they which receive abundance of 
grace, and of the gift of righteousness, shall reign 
in life by one, Jesus Christ. Therefore, as by the 
offence of one judgment came upon all men to con- 
demnation, even so by the righteousness of one the free 
gift came upon all men unto justification of life." 
— Romans, v, 17, 18. 

This will not all take place at once. "But every man 
in his own order: Christ, the first fruits; afterward 
they that are Christ's at his coming." — 1 Cor., xv, 23. 
"But the rest of the dead lived not again until the 
thousand years were finished." — Rev., xx, 5. 

Hence what was lost in 'Adam was restored in Jesus 
Christ, so far as all men are concerned in all ages, with 
some very slight exceptions arising from an abuse of 
privileges. Transgression of the law brought death upon 
all the posterity of Adam, the restoration through the 
atonement restored all the human family to life. "For 
since by man came death, by man came also the resur- 
rection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so 
in Christ shall all be made alive." So that whatever 
was lost by Adam, was restored by Jesus Christ. 

The penalty of the transgression of the law was the 
death of the body. The atonement made by Jesus 



THE MEDIATION AND ATONEMENT. 



17D 



Christ resulted in the resurrection of the human body. 
Its scope embraced all peoples, nations and tongues. 

"For all my Lord was crucified, 
For all, for all my Savior died." 

This is one part of the restoration. This is the 
restoration of the body. The next question for us to 
examine is, How, and in what manner are men benefitted 
by the atonement and by the resurrection? In this, 
that the atonement having restored man to his former 
position before the Lord, it has placed him in a position 
and made it possible for him to obtain that exaltation 
and glory which it would have been impossible for him 
to have received without it; even to become a son 
of God by adoption; and being a son then an heir 
of God, and a joint heir with Jesus Christ; and that, 
as Christ overcame, He has made it possible, and 
has placed it within the power of believers in Him, 
also to overcome; and as He is authorized to inherit His 
Father's glory which He had with Him before the 
world was, with His resurrected body, so through the 
adoption, may we overcome and sit down with Him 
upon His throne, as He has overcome and has sat down 
upon His Father's throne. And as he has said, "I and 
the Father are one," so are the obedient saints one with 
Him, as He is one with the Father, even as He prayed: 

"That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in 
me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us; 
that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. 
And the glory which thou gavest me, I have given 
them; that they may be one, even as we are one; I 
in them, and thou in me, that they may be made per- 
fect in one; and that the world may know that thou 
hast sent me, and hast loved them as thou hast loved 
me."— John, xvii, 21—23. 

Being the sons of God through the atonement and 
adoption, and through faith in Jesus Christ, they rise 
to the dignity and glory of the Godhead, even to be 
Gods; as it is promised: 



180 THE MEDIATION AND ATONEMENT. 

"Him that overcometh, will I make a pillar in the 
temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and 
I will write upon him the name of my God, and the 
name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, 
which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and 
I will write upon him my new name. — Rev., iii, 12. 

Again, "To him that overcometh will I grant to 
sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, 
and am set down with my Father in his throne." 
— Rev., iii, 21. 

Yet again, "He that overcometh shall inherit all 
things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my 
son." — Rev., xxi, 7. 

Hence, through His atonement, believers in Christ, 
and those who obey His law, - partake of His glory and 
exaltation, and are inheritors of the Godhead; whilst 
those who do not obey His law although resurrected 
cannot inherit this exaltation; they are raised from the 
dead, but cannot inherit a celestial glory without being 
obedient to a celestial law, and thus we come again to' 
a scripture quoted before. Jesus said, "Thus it is written, 
and thus it behooved Christ to suffer, and to rise from 
the dead the third day: and that repentance and remis- 
sion of sins should be preached in his name among 
all nations, beginning at Jerusalem." 

Having noticed the great blessings, privileges, powers 
and exaltations that are placed within the reach of man, 
through the atonement of Jesus Christ, it next becomes 
our duty to enquire what is required of man to place 
him in possession of them. 

That the world might be benefitted through the 
redemption brought about by Jesus Christ, He called 
and ordained twelve Apostles, and commanded them to 
go forth into all the world, and preach the Gospel to 
every creature, saying, "He that belie veth and is bap- 
tized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be 
damned," or condemned. Thus placing it within the 
reach of every man to obtain the glory and exaltation 
referred to above, and leaving all men without excuse 



THE MEDIATION AND ATONEMENT. 



181 



who would not obey the law and be subject to the 
conditions imposed. The penalty of Adam's sin having 
been removed through the atonement, it now became 
the privilege of all men, in all nations, to partake of 
the salvation provided by the 'great Mediator. 

And this provision applies not only to the living, 
but also to the dead, so that all men who have 
existed in all ages, who do exist now, or who will exist 
while the earth shall stand, may be placed upon the same 
footing, and that all men may have the privilege, living or 
dead, of accepting the conditions of the great plan of 
redemption provided by the Father, through the Son, 
before the world was; and that the justice and mercy 
of God may be applied to every being, living or dead, 
that ever has existed, that does now exist, or that ever 
will exist. 

The conditions required of the human family to 
enable them to obtain the high exaltation which the 
atonement makes it possible for them to receive, are: 
First, Faith in God as our Father aud the great Supreme 
Ruler of the universe; in whose hands are the destinies 
of the human family; in whom we live and move and 
have our being. And in His Son Jesus Christ, as the 
Lamb slain from before the foundation of the world, 
as the great Mediator and great propitiatory sacrifice pro- 
vided by the Father before the creation, and consummated 
by the offering of Himself upon the cross. For "God 
so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, 
that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but 
have everlasting life." Or, to use the words of the 
Nephite King Benjamin: 

"Believe in God; believe that he is, and that he 
created all things, both in heaven and in earth; believe 
that he has all wisdom, and all power, both in heaven 
and in earth; believe that man doth not comprehend 
all the things which the Lord can comprehend." 

Or as Paul writes; "He that cometh to God must 
believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them 
that diligently seek him." 



182 



THE MEDIATION AND ATONEMENT. 



The second principle of the Gospel of salvation, is 
repentance. It is a sincere and godly sorrow for and 
a forsaking of sin, combined with full purpose of heart 
to keep God's commandments. As is written by the 
Prophet Isaiah: "Let the . wicked forsake his way, and 
the unrighteous man his thoughts; and let him return 
unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon him; 
and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon." And 
to quote from the Book of Mormon: 

"And again: Believe that ye must repent of your 
sins and forsake them, and humble yourselves before 
God; and ask in sincerity of heart that he would for- 
give you; and now, if you believe all these things, see 
that ye do them." — Mosiah, iv, 10. 

Thirdly, Baptism for the remission of sins, of our 
personal transgressions, which, through this means, pro- 
vided by divine mercy, are, by reason of the atone- 
ment, blotted out. To use the words of Paul: "There- 
fore we are buried with him by baptism into death: 
that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by 
the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk 
in newness of life. For if we have been planted 
together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also 
in the likeness of his resurrection." 

Next, the reception of the Holy Ghost through the 
laying on of hands of those who have received the 
Holy Priesthood, and are duly authorized, ordained, and 
empowered to impart this blessing: Thus Peter preached 
on the day of Pentecost: 

"Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the 
name of Jesus Christ, for the remission of sins, and ye 
shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the promise 
is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar 
off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call." — Acts, 
ii, 38, 39. 

These are the introductory or first principles of the 
everlasting, unchangeable Gospel of our Lord and Savior 
Jesus Christ, that is and has been the same to all men, 
amongst all nations, in all ages, whenever, or wherever 



THE MEDIATION AND ATONEMENT. 183 

it has been taught by the authority of heaven. Hence 
we read: It was "preached from the beginning, being 
declared by holy angels, sent from the presence of God, 
and by his own voice, and by the gift of the Holy 
Ghost. And thus all things were confirmed unto Adam, 
by an holy ordinance, and the Gospel preached, and a 
decree sent forth, that it should be in the world, until 
the end thereof." — Pearl of Great Price. 

And in that day "the Lord God called upon men 
by the Holy Ghost everywhere, and commanded them 
that they should repent; and as many as believed in 
the Son, and repented of their sins, should be saved; 
and as many as believed not and repented not, should 
be damned; and the words went forth out of the mouth 
of God in a firm decree; wherefore they must be 
fulfilled."— Ibid. 

This same Gospel was preached to Seth, and to all 
the antediluvian Patriarchs, and they ministered under 
its authority. By its power, as we have already shown, 
Enoch and his people were translated. Of Noah it is 
written: "And the Lord ordained Noah after his own 
order, and commanded him that he should go forth and 
declare his gospel unto the children of men, even as it 
was given unto Enoch." And further, to quote from 
the testimony of Noah before the flood: "And it 
came to pass that Noah continued his preaching unto the 
people, saying, Hearken, and give heed unto my words; 
believe and repent of your sins, and be baptized in the, 
name of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, even as our 
fathers did, and ye shall receive the Holy Ghost, that 
ye may have all things made manifest; and if ye do 
not this, the floods will come in upon you." 

From this we learn that the principles of the Gospel 
in the first ages of the world were identical with those 
taught in our day. 

The Gospel and the Holy Priesthood continued from 
Noah to Abraham. "Abraham received the priesthood 
from Melchizedek, who received it through the lineage 
of his fathers, even till Noah." (Doc and Co v., lxxxiv, 



184 



THE MEDIATION AND ATONEMENT. 



14, p. 289.) As Paul writes, "And the Scripture, fore- 
seeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, 
preached before the Gospel unto Abraham, saying, "In 
thee shall all nations be blessed;" whilst Jesus declared, 
"Abraham saw my day and was glad." The knowledge 
and practice of the Gospel were perpetuated through 
Isaac, Jacob, Joseph and other Patriarchs, until the age 
of Moses, who, it is said, esteemed "the reproach of 
Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt;" and 
of the Israelites, of whom he was the great lawgiver, 
Paul writes: 

"Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be 
ignorant how that all our fathers were under the cloud, 
and all passed through the sea; and were all baptized 
unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea; and did all 
eat the same spiritual meat; and did all drink the 
same spiritual drink: (For they drank of that spiritual 
Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.) 
But with many of them God was not pleased: for they 
were overthrown in the wilderness." — 1 Cor., x, 1 — 3. 

The further history of the Gospel in its relation to 
the house of Israel is briefly told in \the following para- 
graphs from the Book of Doctrine and Covenants: 

" Now this Moses plainly taught to the children of 
Israel in the wilderness, and sought diligently to sanc- 
tify his people that they might behold the face of God; 
but they hardened their hearts and could not endure 
his presence, therefore the Lord in his wrath (for his 
anger was kindled against them) swore that they should 
not enter into his rest while in the wilderness, which 
rest is the fulness of his glory. Therefore he took 
Moses out of their midst, and the Holy Priesthood also; 
and the lesser priesthood continued, which priesthood 
holdeth the key of the ministering of angels and the 
preparatory gospel; which gospel is the gospel of re- 
pentance and of baptism, and the remission of sins, 
and the law of carnal commandments, which the Lord 
in his wrath caused to continue with the house of 
Aaron among the children of Israel until John, whom 



THE MEDIATION AND ATONEMENT. 



185 



God raised up, being 'filled with the Holy Ghost from 
his mother's womb; for he was baptized while he was 
yet in his childhood, and was ordained by the angel of 
God at the time he was eight days old unto this power, 
to overthrow the kingdom of the Jews, and to make 
straight the way of the Lord before the face of his 
people, to prepare them for the coming of the Lord, in 
whose hand is given all power." — Sec. lxxxiv, 23 — 28, 
p. 290, 291. 

It was this same Gospel that the crucified Redeemer 
commanded His disciples to preach, when "he said unto 
them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel 
to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized, 
shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be 
damned. And these signs shall follow them that believe: 
In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak 
with new tongues; they shall take up serpents; and if 
they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them ; 
they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall re- 
cover." — Mark, xvi, 15 — 18. 

And Mark testifies: "They went forth, and preached 
every where, the Lord working with them, and confirm- 
ing the word with signs following." 

Hence we find on the day of Pentecost, Peter, the 
senior of the Apostles, in answer to the cry of the 
believing multitude, "Men and brethren, what shall we 
do?" replying in the words already quoted: "Repent 
and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of 
Jesus Christ, for the remission of sins; and ye shall 
receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is 
unto you and your children, and to all that are afar 
off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call." — 
Acts, ii, 38, 39. 

Again, it was this same everlasting, unalterable, un- 
changeable Gospel whose restoration to the earth John, 
the Apostle, spoke of as follows: 

"And I saw another angel fly in the midst of 
heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto 
them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and 



186 



THE MEDIATION AND ATONEMENT. 



kindred, and tongue, and people, saying with a loud 
voice, Fear God and give glory to him; for the hour 
of his judgment is come: and worship him that made 
heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of 
waters." — Revelation, xiv, 6, 7. 

From the Bible, we turn to the Book of Mormon, 
and in its pages discover that 'the same Gospel which 
Jesus directed His disciples to go into all the world 
and preach, was preached on this continent, from the 
earliest ages. The Jaredites became acquainted with it 
through the revelations given to the brother of Jared; 
in one of which Jesus said unto him: 

" Behold, I am he who was prepared from the foun- 
dation of the world to redeem my people. Behold, I 
am Jesus Christ. I am the Father and the Son. In 
me shall all mankind have light and that eternally, 
even they who shall believe on my name; and they 
shall become my sons and my daughters." — Ether, iii, 14. 

"And he ministered unto him, even as he ministered 
unto the Nephites." — Ether, iii, 18. 

The principles of this Gospel were very fully under- 
stood by the Nephites before the advent of the Messiah. 
We quote from a sermon of the younger Alma. He 
says: 

" Now if it had not been for the plan of redemp- 
tion, which was laid from the foundation of the world, 
there could have been no resurrection of the dead; but 
there was a plan of redemption laid, which shall bring 
to pass the resurrection of the dead, of which has been 
spoken. And now behold, if it were possible that our 
first parents could have went forth and partaken of the 
tree of life, they would have been for ever miserable, 
having no preparatory state; and thus the plan of 
redemption would have been frustrated, and the word of 
God would have been void, taking none effect. But be- 
hold, it was not so; but it was appointed unto man 
that they must die; and after death they must come to 
judgment; even that same judgment of which we have 
spoken, which is the end. And after God had appointed 



THE MEDIATION AND ATONEMENT. 



187 



that these things should come unto man, behold, then 
he saw that it was expedient that man should know 
concerning the things whereof he had appointed unto 
them; therefore he sent angels to converse with them, 
who caused men to behold of his glory." — Alma, xii, 
25—29. 

It will be seen from this, in the first place, that, 
as we have before stated, God's plan in relation to man 
was that he should fall, and having fallen and obtained 
a knowledge of good and evil, (which knowledge he 
could not have obtained without placing himself in that 
position,) then it became necessary that he should know 
concerning the atonement and redemption which should 
be brought about through the mediation of Jesus Christ; 
and hence the angel communicated, as before related, 
this knowledge to Adam, and Alma's testimony on this 
continent is found to agree precisely with the testimony 
given in the Pearl of Great Price, pertaining to the 
revelation of God's will through an angel to Adam. 
We again quote from the same discourse: 

"And they began from that time forth to call on 
his name; therefore God conversed with men, and made 
known unto them the plan of redemption, which had 
been prepared from the foundation of the world; and 
this he made known unto them according to their faith 
and repentance, and their holy works; wherefore he gave 
commandments unto men, they having first transgressed 
the first commandments as to things which were tem- 
poral, and becoming as Gods, knowing good from evil, 
placing themselves in a state to act, or being placed in 
a state to act according to their wills and pleasures, 
whether to do evil or to do good; therefore God gave 
unto them commandments, after having made known 
unto them the plan of redemption, that they should 
not do evil, the penalty thereof being a second death, 
which was an everlasting death as to things pertaining 
unto righteousness; for on such the plan of redemption 
could have no power, for the works of justice could 
not be destroyed, according to the supreme goodness of 



188 



THE MEDIATION AND ATONEMENT. 



God. But God did call on men, in the name of his 
Son, (this being the plan of redemption which was 
laid,) saying, If ye will repent, and harden not your 
hearts, then will I have mercy upon you, through mine 
only begotten Son ; therefore, whosoever repenteth, and 
hardeneth not his heart, he shall have claim on mercy 
through mine only begotten Son, unto a remission of 
his sins; and these shall enter into my rest. And who- 
soever will harden his heart, and will do iniquity, be- 
hold, I swear in my wrath that he shall not enter into 
my rest." — Alma, xii, 30 — 35. 

When Jesus Himself appeared to the Nephites, He 
preached the same identical principles that He had pre- 
viously taught to the Jews, adding occasionally further 
truths, because of the greater faith of the first named 
people; "And he did expound all things, even from 
the beginning even until the time he should come in 
his glory." Amongst other things He said: " Whosoever 
will hearken unto my words and repenteth, and is bap- 
tized, the same shall be saved. Search the prophets, for 
many there be that testify of these things." — 3 Nephi, 
xxiii, 5. 

And it is this same Gospel, attended by the same 
power and spirit, blessed by the same inspiration, and 
led by the same Priesthood, that is now being preached 
to all the world for a witness. Through its principles, 
and by its power the Kingdom of God will be estab- 
lished, righteousness spread, evil overcome, and Satan be 
vanquished; by it Zion and the New Jerusalem will be 
built up, Enoch and his city be received, the work of 
the Millennium be done, the renovation of the earth 
accomplished, and all God's glorious will be fulfilled, 
until the vision becomes a reality which Daniel saw and 
wrote: 

" Behold, one like the Son of man came with the 
clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, 
and they brought him near before him. And there was 
given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that 
all people, nations, and languages should serve him; his 



THE MEDIATION AND ATONEMENT. 



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dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not 
pass away, and his kingdom, that which shall not be 
destroyed. * * * And the kingdom 

and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under 
the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the 
saints of the Most High, whose kingdom is an everlast- 
ing kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey 
him."— Daniel, vii, 13, 14, 27. 



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